Savoury cheesecake with balsamic roasted baby beetroot

Ingredients:

Base:

• 1 cup (100g) breadcrumbs
• 10 (55g) wholewheat crackers, crushed
• ¼ punnet (5g) fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup (60g) parmesan (or hard vegan cheese), finely grated
• Salt and milled pepper
• ⅖ cup (100g) salted butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 tub (250g) plain smooth cream cheese
• 1 tub (250g) mascarpone
• 350g Danish-style feta
• 4 eggs, whisked
• Salt and milled pepper
• Juice (60ml) and grated peel of 1 lemon

Topping:

• ¼ cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp (45ml) honey
• 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil
• Salt and milled pepper
• ½ cup (125ml) beef or vegetable stock
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 16 baby beetroot, washed and trimmed
• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• Pomegranate rubies, rocket and honey, for serving

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Blitz breadcrumbs and crackers together. 
3. Combine with parsley and parmesan and season.
4. Add butter and press mixture into four 10cm loose-bottomed tins or ramekins to form a base.
5. Combine filling ingredients and blitz with a stick blender until smooth.
6. Evenly pour filling over tart bases to form cheesecakes. 
7. For topping, add balsamic, honey, olive oil, seasoning, stock and thyme to an ovenproof dish.
8. Tip in beetroots and cover with foil. 
9. Place beetroot and cheesecakes together in the oven.
10. Bake cheesecakes for 40-45 minutes until set. Cool completely. 
11. Roast beetroot for about 40 minutes or until tender.
12. Add onions to beetroot and return to oven for a further 15 minutes. 
13. Uncover, increase heat to 200°C and roast for a further 15 minutes. 
14. Unmould cheesecakes and top with roasted veggies.
15. Serve cheesecakes at room temperature with pomegranate rubies, rocket and a drizzle of honey.

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