Plăcinte la tigaie, Romanian cheese and dill pies

Name: Plăcinte la tigaie, Romanian cheese and dill pies
Ingredients: 600 g flour; 25 g fresh yeast; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 g salt; 275 ml lukewarm milk; 4 tablespoons yogurt; 2 tablespoons oil; 400 g cow’s milk curd cheese; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan; 2 tablespoons grated semi-hard cheese; 15 g fresh dill; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper; 10 tablespoons oil

Appetizers - Plăcinte la tigaie, Romanian cheese and dill pies by Marioara H. - Recipia

Plăcinte la tigaie, Romanian cheese and dill pies, are served hot or cold, with thin dough and a salty filling. The yeasted dough browns in the pan, and the curd cheese is mixed with dill, Parmesan and semi-hard cheese. I like them hot, while the dough is still easy to fold. Prep: 30 minutes. Cook: 60 minutes. Rest: 60 minutes. Total time: 150 minutes. Servings: 5. About 980 kcal and 30 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the dough

600 g flour
25 g fresh yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 g salt
275 ml lukewarm milk
4 tablespoons yogurt
2 tablespoons oil

For the filling

400 g cow’s milk curd cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons grated semi-hard cheese
15 g fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

For frying

10 tablespoons oil

Preparation

1. Mix the yeast with the sugar and 1 g salt until it turns liquid. Add the lukewarm milk and yogurt, then mix in the sifted flour. 2. Knead the dough, gradually pouring in 2 tablespoons of oil until it stops sticking to your hands. Preparing the dough and filling takes about 30 minutes. 3. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and leave the dough to rise for about 60 minutes, until it has doubled in volume. 4. Mix 400 g of curd cheese with the grated Parmesan and grated semi-hard cheese. Add the chopped dill, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. 5. Divide the dough into 10 balls. Roll each ball out thinly on a floured surface, put filling on half of the dough, fold the other half over it and seal the edges. 6. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Before cooking each pie, add 1 tablespoon of oil and fry for 3 minutes on each side, until golden. 7. Remove the pies onto paper towels and serve hot or cold.

Notes

The flour may absorb more or less milk, so add it gradually and stop when the dough comes together and stays soft. Choose fresh curd cheese with a clean taste and firm texture so it holds its shape in the dough. If it is too wet, leave it to drain before mixing it with the other cheeses. Allow about two and a half hours from the start of preparation to mealtime, to leave time for rising and frying. The pies keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be briefly reheated in a pan. If you can’t find curd cheese, you can use 400 g of well-drained cottage cheese. The dough contains gluten, and the filling contains dairy. Serve them with sour cream if you’d like something fresh on the table. I borrowed the idea from Rocsi, with a few small changes, and I’m sending a kiss to that dear, hardworking girl.