Issue1 TasteBound compressed - Flipbook - Page 59
Tvorog and semolina bake with apricot sauce
Zapekanka s abrikosami
SERVES 6–8
Tvorozhnaya zapekanka is a typical eastern
European curd cheese and semolina bake.
It’s often served for breakfast, but can
easily be transformed into a dessert by
adding extra sugar. This one is flavoured
with orange zest and sultanas. We often
use semolina in breakfast porridge, but
here it’s used to give this bake some
structure while still keeping it light.
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Butter or oil, for greasing
4tbsp semolina, plus extra
for dusting
1kg tvorog or cottage cheese; opt for
a dry style or strain off any excess whey
2 eggs
1 heaped tbsp sugar
70g sultanas
Zest 1 orange
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp apple cider vinegar
2tbsp soured cream, plus
extra to serve
For the sauce
6 ripe pitted apricots, cut
into wedges
50g sugar
Preheat the oven to 200C. Generously grease
a 23cm cake tin or medium rectangular
baking tray, then dust the base and sides with
a little semolina.
In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix
together the tvorog, eggs, sugar, semolina,
sultanas and the orange zest. In a small
separate bowl, combine the bicarbonate of
soda and vinegar until fizzing, then pour into
the cheese mixture. Use the fork to combine
and fluff up the mixture a bit.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin
and spread out evenly, levelling the surface
but not pressing down too much. Spread the
soured cream over the surface and transfer to
the oven. Cook for 50 minutes to 1 hour until
risen, with a darkened or golden surface.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the
apricots into a deep-sided saucepan with the
sugar and a splash of water over a medium
heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally,
and cook for 20–30 minutes or until the
apricots have softened, broken down and
formed a loose-textured sauce.
Once the zapekanka is ready, remove from
the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. It
will naturally drop a little. Serve warm with
extra soured cream and the apricot sauce.
P55
Soft cheese pancakes with mixed berry sauce
Syrnyky z yahodamy
SERVES 4 (MAKES 12)
Syr is the Ukrainian word for cheese and
this is another recipe that uses tvorog
(or cottage cheese); see recipe above.
Syrnyky are staple breakfast fare
throughout Eastern Europe, but they
can be eaten at any time of day.
Blackcurrant or other berry sauce is just
heavenly with these, and a generous
amount of soured cream is essential.
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500g tvorog or cottage cheese
1 egg
2tbsp sugar, or extra to taste
2tbsp plain flour, plus extra
as needed
Salted butter, for frying
Soured cream, to serve
For the sauce
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250g mixed berries (frozen or fresh)
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2 heaped tbsp honey
In a bowl mix the tvorog or cottage cheese,
egg, sugar, flour and a little salt, using a fork
to combine and mash everything together.
Add a little extra flour if the mixture is sticky
– it needs to be soft and pliable. Use a
spoon to scoop mounds – around 50g each
– of the mixture into round discs about
1.5cm thick. Coat each disc in some extra
flour before setting them on a floured board.
Heat some butter in a frying pan and
cook the syrnyky in batches over a medium
heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, adding
more butter as needed. Transfer the cooked
ones to a plate lined with kitchen paper
while you cook the rest and keep them
warm while you make the sauce.
To make the sauce, put the berries and
the honey in a saucepan over a medium
heat and cook at a slight simmer for 7
minutes. Serve the warm syrnyky with the
sauce and a big dollop of soured cream.
TA S T E B O U N D
57
