Plăcinte cu brânză de burduf

Name: Plăcinte cu brânză de burduf
Ingredients: 500 g flour; 50 g melted butter; 200 ml lukewarm milk; 7 g dried yeast; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 300 g brânză de burduf; 15 ml oil for the work surface; 500 ml oil for frying

Appetizers - Plăcinte cu brânză de burduf by Octaviana I. - Recipia

Plăcinte cu brânză de burduf are Romanian fried cheese pies, filled in the center and fried until golden and crisp. The yeasted dough made with milk and butter stays soft inside, while the salty cheese sits between the crisp edges. I like to break off the browned corner first, while the cheese in the middle is still soft. Prep: 25 minutes. Cook: 24 minutes. Rest: 60 minutes. Total time: 109 minutes. Serves: 8. About 480 kcal and 15 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

500 g flour
50 g melted butter
200 ml lukewarm milk
7 g dried yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
300 g brânză de burduf
15 ml oil for the work surface
500 ml oil for frying

Preparation

1. Mix the flour with the yeast, salt and sugar. Add the lukewarm milk and the melted, cooled butter, then knead for 10 minutes, until you have a smooth, elastic dough. 2. Cover the dough and leave it to rise for 60 minutes, until doubled in size. 3. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and the cheese into 8 portions. 4. Oil the work surface, flatten each piece by hand, put a portion of cheese in the middle and pinch the edges together well. Shape all the pies this way, in about 15 minutes. 5. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the pies two at a time, in 4 batches, for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden.

Notes

I serve them with a tomato and cucumber salad. They keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days; I reheat them in a dry pan over low heat until the inside softens again. They contain gluten and dairy. Brânză de burduf can be firmer or softer from one log to the next; for the filling, I choose a firm one that slices cleanly. If it’s very soft, I keep it chilled while I divide the dough, so it’s easy to portion. In a cool kitchen, the dough can take more than an hour to rise, so I look for it to double in size rather than just watching the clock. Proofing is the step that’s easiest to rush, especially when the dough is covered and I can’t see it. Larger pies brown more slowly than smaller ones, so portions that are close in size help them fry evenly.