Do you have a garden by any chance? Maybe with some tomato plants? Are the first tomatoes ready to be eaten? Mid/end of July you should be able to harvest the first fruits I guess. Most of our tomatoes are still green because we have had a cold and rainy summer so far. The ones ready to harvest were not enough to make this cheesecake with tomato and fennel topping so far. But that could change in a couple of weeks I guess. There is hope ;)
We’ve been doing quite some gardening on our terrace this year. More than the usual pot of strawberries we have had for several years already. This year we built a raised bed for different kinds of plants – so far we have had several types of lettuce, red beets, zucchini, peppers, radishes… and still waiting for carrots, raspberries, and the tomatoes ;) The lettuce was the first to be ready and we actually had some problems at some with that because we had too much at some point. Next time we have to plant a bit more efficiently. Not everything at the same time ;) Well… next time. Until then I hope the tomatoes are ready soon. All at the same time if they want to. That would actually be nice so I can cook something with them.
Anyway. For this cheesecake today you definitely need a little more than a handful of cherry tomatoes but theoretically, you could also just use only 2-3 larger tomatoes and then cut them into slices. Works just as well. I like the look of the smaller tomatoes better though but taste-wise it doesn’t make much of a difference in the end ;)
When you think of a cheesecake you probably think of something sweet with some berries or fruits on top but as you can see – cheesecake can also be savory and made with tomatoes, onions, and fennel. This cheesecake is made with cream cheese (like many sweet cheesecakes), sour cream, and eggs but also with cheddar. This is where the recipes for sweet and savory cheesecakes differ ;) Feel free to try some real cheese in a sweet cheesecake though. I heard goat cheese can be very nice here…
Well… the focus today is not on the cheesecake. The tomatoes are actually the heroes here. Today, once again, some food bloggers have joined forces to devote themselves to a special topic… you will have guessed by now, what it is all about: tomatoes! The whole thing is called #TomatoBoom. According to the motto “Boom… suddenly there are many new recipes with tomatoes” ;P
Just kidding! In case you like tomatoes or got a big basket from your garden waiting to be used – take a look at the recipes from the other bloggers. Maybe there is something you like. I am pretty sure there are many delicious things to try…
Nom Noms food: Tomaten-Avocado-Salat mit knusprigen Tomaten-Chips, Burrata & Pinienkernen
Zimtblume: Tomatensalat
Gaumenfreundin: Tomate-Mozzarella-Auflauf
Whatinaloves: Tomaten Risotto
Ina Is(s)t: Scharfe selbstgemachte Tomaten Salsa
Loui Bakery: Selbstgemachte Ravioli mit rotem Pesto & Ricotta
1x umrühren bitte aka kochtopf: Pa amb tomàquet (Brot mit Tomate) – der Klassiker aus Katalonien
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
6.3 oz. (180g) salted pretzels
1.8 oz. (50g) parmesan, grated
1/2 cup (120g) butter, melted
2 tbsp. water, plus more if needed
For the filling:
14 oz. (400g) cream cheese
7 oz. (200g) crème fraîche
3.5 oz. (100g) sour cream
4 medium eggs
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
5.3 oz. (150g) cheddar cheese, finely grated
For the topping:
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
2 red onions, sliced in rings
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
3-4 stalks of parsley, chopped
15-20 small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1-2 tbsp. parmesan, grated
salt, pepper
180g Salzbrezeln
50g Parmesan, gerieben
120g Butter, geschmolzen
2 EL Wasser, plus gg. etwas mehr
Für die Füllung:
400g Frischkäse
200g Crème fraîche
100g Schmand
4 Eier (M)
1/2 TL Pfeffer
1/2 TL Salz
150g Cheddar, fein gerieben
Für den Belag:
2-3 EL Olivenöl
1 kleine Fenchelknolle, in Scheiben geschnitten
2 rote Zwiebeln, in Ringe geschnitten
2 Knoblauchzehen, in dünne Scheiben geschnitten
3-4 Stängel Petersilie, gehackt
15-20 kleine Kirschtomaten, halbiert
1-2 EL Parmesan, gerieben
Salz, Pfeffer
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Add the cream cheese, crème fraîche, and sour cream to a large bowl and mix until well combined. Add the eggs, pepper, and salt and mix well. Add the grated cheddar and fold in. Pour the mixture into the prepared tart tin and smooth out the top. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes – the edges should have set and the surface of the cheesecake should be firm – the filling can still wobble when you move the tin.
3. While the cheesecake is in the oven, prepare the topping. Wash and dry the fennel, remove the green parts and the base and then slice finely crosswise. Peel the onions and garlic and cut the onions into rings and the garlic into thin slices. Heat up a frying pan with the olive oil and fry the fennel and onions, stirring often, for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and continue cooking everything for 10-15 minutes longer until the fennel and onions are soft and nicely browned. Remove from the heat when done, add the chopped parsley, and season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. When the cheesecake has baked long enough take it out of the oven. Distribute the fennel mixture evenly on top of the cheesecake, arrange the tomato halves on top and sprinkle with the grated parmesan. Place the cheesecake back in the oven and bake another 15 minutes – the tomatoes should be soft and the parmesan should be slightly browned. Take out of the oven and let cool down almost completely before slicing. Serve slightly warm or cold. You can store leftovers in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave.
2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) vorheizen. Frischkäse, Crème fraîche und Schmand in eine große Schüssel geben und gut verrühren. Eier, Pfeffer und Salz hinzufügen und gut unterrühren, dann den geriebenen Cheddar unterheben. Diese Mischung in die vorbereitete Form füllen und glatt streichen. Für etwa 35-40 Minuten backen – die Ränder sollten fest geworden sein und die Oberfläche der Käsekuchenschicht sollte relativ fest sein – insgesamt darf der Käsekuchen aber noch wobbeln, wenn man daran rüttelt.
3. Während der Käsekuchen im Ofen ist, den Belag vorbereiten. Den Fenchel waschen, trocknen und die grünen Teile und die etwas härtere Unterseite entfernen, dann quer in dünne Scheiben schneiden. Die Zwiebeln und den Knoblauch schälen, die Zwiebeln in Ringe und den Knoblauch in dünne Scheiben schneiden. Eine Pfanne mit dem Olivenöl erhitzen und dann Fenchel und Zwiebeln etwa 5 Minuten bei mittlerer Hitze von allen Seiten anbraten. Knoblauch dazugeben und alles für weitere 10-15 Minuten andünsten, bis Fenchel und Zwiebeln schön weich und gebräunt sind. Vom Herd ziehen, die gehackte Petersilie dazugeben und gut mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Zur Seite stellen.
4. Wenn der Käsekuchen ausreichend gebacken wurde, aus dem Ofen nehmen. Zuerst die Fenchel-Zwiebel-Mischung gleichmäßig auf dem Kuchen verteilen, dann die Tomatenhälften und zum Schluss mit geriebenem Parmesan bestreuen. Den Käsekuchen wieder in den Ofen schieben und weitere 15 Minuten backen – die Tomaten sollten weich sein und der Parmesan etwas Farbe bekommen haben. Aus dem Ofen holen und komplett abkühlen lassen, sonst lässt er sich nicht anschneiden. Leicht warm oder kalt servieren. Reste kann man prima im Kühlschrank aufbewahren und dann in der Mikrowelle noch einmal erwärmen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Tomato Fennel Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 00:55
- Total Time: 02:30
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cheesecake
- Cuisine: International
Description
Cheesecake does not always have to be sweet – try this savory version with cheddar, tomato, and fennel. So good!
Ingredients
For the crust:
6.3 oz. (180g) salted pretzels
1.8 oz. (50g) parmesan, grated
1/2 cup (120g) butter, melted
2 tbsp. water, plus more if needed
For the filling:
14 oz. (400g) cream cheese
7 oz. (200g) crème fraîche
3.5 oz. (100g) sour cream
4 medium eggs
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
5.3 oz. (150g) cheddar cheese, finely grated
For the topping:
2–3 tbsp. olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
2 red onions, sliced in rings
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
3–4 stalks of parsley, chopped
15–20 small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1–2 tbsp. parmesan, grated
salt, pepper
Instructions
1. For the crust add the salted pretzels with the grated parmesan cheese to a mixer/food processor and mix/pulse until you get very fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and water and mix until the crumbs are evenly moist. Press the crumbs together with your fingers, if they don’t hold together well, add a little more water and mix again. Transfer the crumbs to a 9.5 inches (24cm) tart tin with loose bottom and press to the bottom and sides to get a nice thick crust. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Add the cream cheese, crème fraîche, and sour cream to a large bowl and mix until well combined. Add the eggs, pepper, and salt and mix well. Add the grated cheddar and fold in. Pour the mixture into the prepared tart tin and smooth out the top. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes – the edges should have set and the surface of the cheesecake should be firm – the filling can still wobble when you move the tin.
3. While the cheesecake is in the oven, prepare the topping. Wash and dry the fennel, remove the green parts and the base and then slice finely crosswise. Peel the onions and garlic and cut the onions into rings and the garlic into thin slices. Heat up a frying pan with the olive oil and fry the fennel and onions, stirring often, for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and continue cooking everything for 10-15 minutes longer until the fennel and onions are soft and nicely browned. Remove from the heat when done, add the chopped parsley, and season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. When the cheesecake has baked long enough take it out of the oven. Distribute the fennel mixture evenly on top of the cheesecake, arrange the tomato halves on top and sprinkle with the grated parmesan. Place the cheesecake back in the oven and bake another 15 minutes – the tomatoes should be soft and the parmesan should be slightly browned. Take out of the oven and let cool down almost completely before slicing. Serve slightly warm or cold. You can store leftovers in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave.
Notes
Enjoy baking!
I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
