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Three-Cheese Appetizer Cheesecake Recipe

Crushed sesame crackers create the crust for this savory cheesecake that features a rich blend of ricotta, feta and cream cheese. The creamy mixture is mildly seasoned with basil and garlic and so delicious when spread on crackers for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.—Virginia Galloway, Houston, Texas

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Three-Cheese Appetizer Cheesecake Recipe

Prep: 35 min. Bake: 35 min. + chilling

Yield: 16 Servings

35 35 70

Ingredients

1 cup crushed sesame snack crackers
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers, patted dry
Assorted crackers

Directions

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta cheese and feta cheese until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the sour cream, basil and garlic powder. Fold in peppers. Pour into crust.
Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers. Yield: 16 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 slice (calculated without crackers) equals 174 calories, 13 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 61 mg cholesterol, 241 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein.

Originally published as Three-Cheese Appetizer Cheesecake in The Taste of Home Cookbook

The History of Feta

FETA is a white, salty, semi-firm cheese. Traditionally it was made from sheep or goat's milk but is now also made with cow's milk. After feta is formed in a special mold, it's sliced into large pieces, salted and soaked in brine. Although feta cheese is mostly associated with Greek cooking, "feta" comes from the Italian word "fette", meaning slice of food.