Salty cheese pastries with cow's cheese

Name: Salty cheese pastries with cow's cheese - Mirela H.
Ingredients: 300; 350 g salted cow cheese; 200; 250 g white flour; 200 g butter or margarine; 2; 3 tablespoons lard; 1 egg; warm water; a cube of yeast; cumin

Appetizers - Salty cheese pastries with cow's cheese by Mirela H. - Recipia

The first time I made these salty snacks was when I had a saltier cow cheese on hand that needed to be used quickly. I love that they always come out soft, slightly fluffy, with that shiny thin layer of egg and cumin on top. They don't have a dry texture, as I sometimes see with store-bought snacks. They're perfect for when you want a quick snack, especially if you have good cheese in the fridge. Quick Info Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes (including fridge and oven) Effective preparation time: 20 minutes Cooling time: 40-50 minutes (fridge) Baking time: about 30 minutes on the tray Servings: depends on how thin you cut them, but about 2 large trays Difficulty: easy-medium Recipe type: savory snack, for events, picnics, or platters Ingredients 300-350 g salty cow cheese (well crumbled) 200-250 g white flour (for fine dough) 200 g butter or margarine (melted) 2-3 tablespoons of lard (at room temperature) 1 egg (for brushing and, if there's leftover, for the mixture) 1 small cube of fresh yeast (about 25 g) warm water (just enough to dissolve the yeast, added gradually) cumin seeds (for sprinkling on top) a little extra cow cheese (for topping) parchment paper (for the tray) Preparation method 1. Crumble the cheese with a fork or quickly grate it. Place it in a large bowl. 2. Dissolve the yeast cube in 2-3 tablespoons of warm water and mix gently until there are no lumps. If necessary, add a little more water, but it shouldn't be too liquid. 3. Pour the melted butter and lard over the cheese. 4. Add the flour, starting with 200 g, and mix with a spoon at first. Depending on how dry or moist the cheese is, you can adjust the flour at the end until the dough is soft but not sticky to the hands. 5. Pour in the yeast mixture and knead briefly until you get a homogeneous mixture. If needed, add another tablespoon of water. 6. The dough shouldn't be kneaded too much. Just squeeze it enough to bind, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 40-50 minutes. 7. Preheat the oven to medium heat (180°C) and line a tray with parchment paper. 8. Take the dough out of the fridge, sprinkle flour on the table, and break off a piece. Keep the rest in the fridge until you use it. 9. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a sheet of about 0.5 cm (or thinner if you want them crispier). 10. Cut strips with a knife or pizza cutter, as wide as you want, and transfer them to the tray. 11. Beat the egg and brush the tops of the snacks with a brush or your fingers. 12. Sprinkle cumin and a little grated cheese on each, then place the tray in the oven for about 30 minutes. They will brown slightly at the edges. 13. Repeat the steps with the remaining dough while the first batch is baking. Why I make this recipe often It helps me when I want to get rid of saltier cheese or 'clean' the fridge. They can be served quickly at any meal, hold up well for packing. I also like that I don't have to wait long for the dough to rise. Tips and variations Tips If the cheese is very salty, do not add any salt to the dough. You can work with the dough more easily if you portion it before refrigerating. If you only have margarine, it works well, but the taste is fuller with butter. Substitutions Lard helps with tenderness. If you don’t want to use it, you can use only butter, but they won’t be as flaky. Fresh yeast can be replaced with dry yeast, but only use 7 g. For the egg, if you want a more golden color, use only the yolk for brushing. Variations You can replace cow cheese with any hard and salty cheese (sheep or goat cheese). If you don’t like cumin, you can sprinkle poppy seeds or sesame. Serving ideas They can be served warm or at room temperature, on platters with other snacks, as an appetizer, or alongside a cold beer. Frequently asked questions 1. Does the dough need to be left in the fridge longer if I’m not using it immediately? It can be left for over an hour, but no more than 2-3 hours. If it sits too long, the yeast loses its power, and the dough can harden. 2. If I use moister cheese, do I need to adjust the flour? Yes. Start with 200 g of flour and add more if you see the dough is sticky. 3. Can I cut the snacks thicker? Yes, they will be a bit fluffier inside. If you want them crispy, cut them thin. 4. Can the dough be frozen? Yes, portion it beforehand, wrap it well in plastic, and let it thaw in the fridge before using. 5. Can they be made without an egg? Yes, but they won’t have the same shiny color on top. You can brush with a little water or milk if you want a matte crust. Nutritional values Estimated values per 100 g of snacks: approximately 330 kcal, 8 g protein, 22 g fat, 25 g carbohydrates. They are high in fat and salty, also containing protein from the cheese. Values may vary depending on the type of cheese and the proportion of lard. Storage and reheating The snacks can be stored at room temperature, in a container with a lid or paper bag, for 2-3 days without issues. After that, the texture changes and they become harder. I don’t recommend the fridge, but they can be easily reheated for 2-3 minutes in the oven to become soft again. Freezing does not affect the taste, but the texture becomes slightly denser after thawing.

Preparation

We knead a dough made of: flour, crumbled cheese, melted butter, lard, and yeast which we dissolved in lukewarm water; The dough should be soft but not sticky. We cover the bowl with the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40-50 minutes. We flour the work surface, break off a piece of dough, and roll it out with a rolling pin. We cut it into strips with a knife, place them in a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush with egg, and sprinkle cumin and cheese on top; We bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at medium heat. We continue the same way with the rest of the dough!

Salty cheese pastries with cow's cheese

Preparation

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