Kumara, lime and pistachio cheesecake

It’s impossible to stop at just one slice of this luscious cheesecake. I like to think of it as a delicious way to eat a generous amount of protein, fat and vegetable goodness in one go. This is best made the day before you eat it.

For the base

230 g	Plain sweet biscuits, (just under a packet)
3 Tbsp	Brown sugar
1 tsp	Ground cardamom
1	Grated lime zest, from whole lime
100 g	Butter, melted (Main)

For the filling

2 large	Kumara, peeled and cut into large chunks (to yield 450g mashed, cooked kumara) (Main)
⅓ cup	Caster sugar
1 tsp	Pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp	Salt
400 g	Cream cheese, at room temperature
3	Eggs
2	Limes, Finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice, (about 3 1/2 Tbsp juice) (Main)
⅓ cup	Pistachio nuts, shelled (Main)

Directions

1. Cook the kūmara first: either wrap loosely in foil and bake in a 200C oven for about 45 minutes, or cook in boiling water until soft. Allow to cool, then mash until smooth. Measure out 450g and set aside.
2. Heat the oven to 170C. Put the biscuits, sugar, cardamom and lime zest into a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse to mix. Press the mixture into a line 24cm springform tin and leave in the fridge while you make the filling.
3. Put all the filling ingredients, except the pistachio nuts, in the processor. Whiz until smooth. Pour over the prepared base and scatter the pistachios on top.
4. Bake for 35 minutes until just set (slightly wobbly in the middle is ok). Remove the tin from the oven and leave to cool on a rack.
5. When it's completely cooled, wrap it loosely in a clean tea towel. Leave in the fridge until about 20 minutes before you're ready to eat it.
6. To serve, unmold carefully and cut into slices. Serve with whipped cream or Greek yoghurt.

See more of Lucy's Kumara recipes:

• Leek, lemon and kumara soup
• Kumara chips with spicy feta dip