Alrighty, let’s get this cheesecake going! First things first, preheat that oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and give your 9-inch springform pan some lovin’ with a nice butter coating.
– 3 tablespoons melted butter
Now, onto the filling! Heat up some olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and sauté those peppers and onions with a generous pinch of salt until they start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Toss in some garlic and cook it up for another 2 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it cool to room temp.
– 3 tablespoons olive oil, – 1 ½ cups diced bell peppers, – ½ cup diced yellow onions, – 1 pinch of salt, – 2 cloves garlic
While that’s cooling, let’s tackle the crust. Get your mixing bowl out and combine some crushed breadcrumbs, Mediterranean herbs, and melted butter until everything is nicely coated. Take that buttery deliciousness and press it down in your springform pan for an even crust layer. Mmm, doesn’t that smell amazing?
– 4 ¼ ounces breadcrumbs, – ¼ teaspoon dried Italian herb blend, – 3 tablespoons melted butter
Next for the perfect cheesecake filling. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together some eggs, flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and sugar until it’s nice and smooth. Add in some yogurt, cream cheese, and Halloumi cheese, and give it a good mix until everything is combined. Throw in some parsley, tarragon, thyme, and that cooled pepper mixture and stir it all up!
– 4 large eggs, – ¼ cup all-purpose flour, – 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste, – ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, – 1 pinch of cayenne pepper or to taste, – 1 tablespoon white sugar, – 1 cup yogurt, – 500g cream cheese, – 1 cup grated fresh Halloumi cheese, – 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, – 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, – 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Pour that amazing cheesy mixture into your crust-lined springform pan and give it a few gentle taps to settle everything in. Pop it on a baking sheet and let it bake up in the lower center of your oven until a skewer poked into the center comes out clean, usually around 60 to 75 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes, and then give it a careful ring removal with a knife.
Here comes the tough part – waiting for it to chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge before serving. It’s worth it, I promise, but if you can’t wait, it can also be served at room temp for a light and fluffy texture. Enjoy your cheesecake masterpiece!
