Cheese-nut pate is a favorite

Let your New Year’s Eve gatherings be more intimate and informal than other holiday get-

togethers. A cocktail party with finger food can provide a refreshing alternative to all those big seasonal sit-down dinners.

In my house, I like to gather friends around the coffee table, which is just barely large enough to hold a few appetizer plates and drinks. It’s wonderful to note how the conversation tends to shift into more personal and interesting realms when people are clustered close together in soft light and fed something richly comforting and beautifully presented.

The dish I have in mind is cheese-nut pate, a dense pate made from a combination of cheeses and nuts blended together, baked and then chilled until firm. It’s easy to prepare in a food processor and not much more difficult to make with an electric mixer, if that’s your machine of preference.

Make it a few days ahead. It benefits from time spent tightly wrapped in the refrigerator, where it solidifies in both flavor and texture. Then, shortly before serving, decorate it lavishly with all sorts of colorful accouterments over a coating of pure, white ricotta cheese.

This is one of my favorite dishes ever. Not only is it straightforward and enjoyable to prepare, when you serve it at a cocktail party you will need no other appetizers beyond the crackers or toasts that accompany it.

If you want to make cheese-nut pate into a light meal, serve it with a simple tomato soup and everyone will be happy. Another great attribute is that it goes well with many types of wine, so choose your own special bottle of red or white and you won’t go wrong.

Leftover pate also makes a terrific sandwich filling. So if you brown bag it, you can take a souvenir of the holiday season with you to work after the weekend and let the spirit linger.

Cheese-nut pate

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

cup almonds

cup walnuts

1 cup minced onion

8 ounces regular or low-fat cream cheese, softened

1 pound regular or low-fat cottage cheese

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