• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs 1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 16 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• tbsp. chopped fresh oregano 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• tsp. chopped fresh summer savory 2 tsp. snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
• 4 large eggs, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Using 1 tablespoon butter, grease the bottom and half- way up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, dried thyme, and grated cheese. Press the mixture into the bottom of the greased pan. Place springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool.
3. In a quart bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in melted butter, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour the filling over the baked crust. Bake for 1 hour, then turn the oven o≠ and leave the door ajar, with the cheesecake inside. Allow cheesecake to sit in the warm oven for an additional 30 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator until the filling is set.
4. Serve in very thin slices with crackers and garnished with a few fresh thyme sprigs.

More From Essential Growing and Cooking with Herbs:

• Rosemary Fizz Recipe
• Sesame Seeds

Reprinted with permission from Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs, edited by Katherine K. Schlosser and published by Louisiana State University Press, 2009.