Serves: 6-8 - Time:
A savoury cheesecake is a bit like a creamy quiche and extremely easy to whip up. I think, like its sweet version, this cheesecake is best eaten a day after cooking or at least chilled for a few hours. Serve as a lunch main course with a tomato salad and some peppery rocket. The cheesecake is also particularly good with a spoonful of fig chutney-Rosebud Preserves do a very good one.
Ingredients
- For the base
- 75g oatcakes
- 100g savoury cheese crackers-(I used M&S Monterey Jack and Smoked Paprika flatbreads)
- 85g butter, melted plus extra for greasing
- For the filling
- 500g full fat soft cheese
- 200g Roquefort cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 10g chives
- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 4 sprigs tarragon, leaves only
- To serve Tomato salad, crusty bread and rocket
Method
- Heat the oven to 180˚c, fan oven 160˚c, mark 4. Grease and base-line a 20cm spring-form cake tin with non-stick baking parchment. Place the oatcakes and crackers in a food processor and blend to fine crumbs. Stir in the melted butter and mix well. Spoon the crumbs into the prepared tin and spread to the edges. Press down in an even layer. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
- Place the soft cheese, 150g Roquefort, eggs and herbs in the food processor and season with plenty of ground black pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour on top of the biscuit base and crumble over the remaining Roquefort cheese. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until the outside feels firm to the touch and the centre still has a slight wobble. Turn off the oven and leave the oven door open. Cool for 15 minutes then remove and cool completely. Serve cold with salad and fig chutney (see intro).
