Served on lettuce, this savory cheesecake is great on its own, but it’s also a tasty appetizer alongside crackers. It’s a flexible recipe, so use another cheese in place of the Gruyere if you like. Or add olives, crab meat, cooked mushrooms—whatever strikes your fancy.
—JONI HILTON ROCKLIN, CA
PREP: 35 MIN. • BAKE: 45 MIN. + CHILLING • MAKES: 24 SERVINGS
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups crumbled cooked bacon
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and chopped
1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Optional toppings: shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped cherry tomatoes and additional crumbled cooked bacon
Assorted crackers, optional
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and cream until smooth. Beat in the bacon, tomatoes, Gruyere cheese, onions and pepper. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to larger pan.
4. Bake 45-55 minutes or until center is just set and the top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes; loosen edges from pan with a knife. Cool for 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Remove rim from pan. Serve cheesecake with toppings and crackers if desired.