Mexican Cheesecake (Savoury)

This is a savoury cheesecake best served as an appetizer or a main course, accompanied by a lovely, leafy salad.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 6  corn tortillas
• 3  tablespoons  melted butter or 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 12  ounces  plain  goat cheese
• 12  ounces cream cheese
• 1 1⁄4 cups sour cream
• 2  cloves garlic, minced
• 2  jalapenos or 2  serrano chilies, finely minced
• 1  cup salsa, drained,plus a little extra for garnish
• 3  tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 4  extra large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped cilantro, plus some sprigs for the garnish
• 2  stiffly beaten  egg whites
•  watercress (to garnish)
•  sliced avocado (to garnish)

Directions

1. Oven dry the tortillas at 200F directly on an oven rack for 45 minutes, until very crackly crisp.
2. When the tortillas are cool, grind very fine in a food processor.
3. Place in an airtight bag until ready to use.
4. May be done several days ahead.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Brush the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with melted butter and carefully coat with tortilla crumbs.
7. Tap out excess and reserve for topping.
8. In the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, beat together the cheeses, sour cream, garlic, jalapenos, salsa, tomato paste, salt, pepper and eggs.
9. Beat until smooth.
10. Fold in the cilantro and beaten egg whites.
11. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle top evenly with remaining tortilla crumbs.
12. Wrap bottom of pan in heavy aluminum foil to prevent leaking.
13. Place pan inside a larger pan and pour in enough hot water to come up 1 inch.
14. Bake for 70 minutes.
15. Test center with a knife, which should come out clean.
16. Cool in oven with door ajar.
17. Remove sides from pan, but leave cake on the pan bottom.
18. Place on platter.
19. Surround with watercress.
20. Place a bouquet of watercress on center of the cake.
21. Garnish with crescents of avocado.
22. Cut into wedges and serve with tomato salsa on the side.
23. The cheesecake is best not refrigerated, so ideally, it should come out of the oven about 2 hours before serving time.