Though the prep-work is super speedy, leave enough time for this beauty to bake for 50 minutes, sit for an hour, and chill for 3 hours. It's a tried and true cheesecake method that yields perfect results!
Measure out your cheeses and allow to reach room temperature along with one large egg
Prep your mini springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides with butter.
Next wrap the outside of the pan in one layer of heavy duty foil or two layers of regular foil. To do this, cut two large squares of foil, place the pan on top, centered, and fold to make a barrier along the bottom and sides, leaving the top open for your cheesecake.
Place the pan in a baking dish and set aside.
Combine cream cheese, ricotta, and feta in your food processor. Pulse to gently mix.
Next add your egg, sugar, pumpkin and a pinch of salt and pulse again.
Whatever you do, don't skip the egg, I did a few rounds of recipe testing with this and the egg-less version just didn't have the right texture/taste.
Lastly, add the chopped green onion and torn/chopped basil to the mixture and pulse gently to mix.
I decided to mimic a cheesecake even further and add the traditional cracker crust to the bottom, using savory Ritz crackers instead of sweet graham crackers. Crush crackers and combine with a 1/2 Tablespoon or so of melted butter. Spread evenly onto the parchment paper at the bottom of your spring-form pan and top with your cheesecake mixture.
Place your spring-form pan inside your baking dish and fill with enough hot water to reach about 1/3 of the way up the cheesecake pan.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes.
When finished, the cheesecake will be golden around the edges and wiggle a little when gently shaken.
Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake to cool down slowly in the oven for an hour to prevent cracking.
After an hour has passed, cover with saran wrap and place the cheesecake in the fridge for a minimum 3 hours to set the shape.
It can be chilled in the fridge up to 2 days before serving, making this a perfect make-ahead appetizer!
After carefully removing from the pan, plate and serve room temperature. Leave out for 30-60 min before serving with crusty toasted bread or your favorite crackers. Drizzle with olive oil and top with basil leaves before serving for a glossy and tasty garnish!
Notes
If you're new to or nervous about using a water bath for this cheesecake, an easy alternative is to place a baking dish filled halfway with water in the rack directly below the rack the cheesecake sits on. The only downside to this steaming method is that sometimes your cheesecake may crack a little.adapted from Giada at HomeNutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!