COTTAGE CHEESE PIE

Cookbook author Signe Meirāne admits that she is not a big fan of cottage cheese. But when she makes this pie, she loves cottage cheese more than anything in the world. The recipe is based on a 1937 book, has no raisins and is characterised by its balanced lightness and 'curdiness'. To make it really great, the recipe uses Smiltenes piens skimmed milk cottage cheese, sour cream and butter.
Ingredients
  • 75 g Smiltene Piens butter, room temperature
  • 130 g demerara or light brown fine sugar
  • 500 g Smiltene Piens skimmed-milk cottage cheese, strained through a sieve
  • 2 tbsps Smiltene sour cream
  • 30 g wheat flour
  • 30 g potato flour
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 3 medium eggs, yolks and whites separated
  • 50 g chopped hazelnuts
  • 1 bio lemon zest, finely grated
Preparation

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Grease a ceramic baking tray (about 20 x 20 cm) with butter. Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl until light and creamy (2-3 minutes) forms. Then add everything, except the egg whites, and mix. Whisk the egg whites into a stiff but wiggly foam and fold into the curd. Pour it all into the pan and smooth. Place the pan in the middle compartment of the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until it is nicely golden. Remove and cool slightly. Tastes perfect both warm and cold.

Preparation process
End result