Eurika Buckle
Feta, Dill & Beetroot Savoury Cheesecake
Serves 6-8Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Chill overnight.
Ingredients
For the base
Butter, for greasing
65g white dried breadcrumbs
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp black onion seeds or nigella seeds
freshly ground black pepper
50g butter, melted
For the topping
200g feta cheese
180g curd cheese
120g single cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
4 tbsp chopped fresh dill
4 spring onions, white part only, finely chopped
220g beetroot, grated
1 tbsp creamed horseradish
2 large egg whites
juice of ½ lemon
10g sachet vegetarian gelatine
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3.
2. Grease & line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment
3. Make the base by mixing together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan & onion or nigella seeds, season with black pepper & pour in the melted butter & mix well. It should be a little claggy at this stage.
4. Press into the prepared tin & bake for 15 mins. Set aside to cool.
5. Mash the feta in a mixing bowl, add the curd cheese, single cream, chives & half of the dill & beat together.
6. In another bowl, mix the spring onion into the beetroot & mix well with the horseradish.
7. Spoon this onto the cheesecake base & spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
8. Whisk the egg whites to the soft peak stage.
9. Place the lemon juice & 3 tbsp of cold water in a small pan, sprinkle the vegetarian gelatine over & turn up the heat until it reaches boiling point.
10. Beat this quickly into the cheesy cream mixture & gently fold in the egg whites, 1tbsp at a time.
11. Layer this over the top of the beetroot mixture & cover with clingfilm.
12. Refrigerate overnight.
13. Garnish with the remaining dill & serve.
Nigel's Top Tips
• When grating your beetroot it's best to pull on disposable plastic gloves.
• Fresh beetroot will keep for several weeks in a cool dark place.
• Great to serve this with a tomato & nectarine gazpacho, the recipe for which you'll find in Rejina's Gastrogeek.
