Southeast with sweet cheese

I usually prepare this "sweet cheese pie" when I have a tub of cottage cheese and some milk in the fridge that needs to be used. I first tried it because it seemed different from the usual cheese pies, and the combination of cooked semolina and baked cheese quickly became my favorite. The recipe came from Laura, and I only adapted a few minor details, mostly out of habit.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour 30 minutes (including cooling)
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes on the stove + 34-40 minutes in the oven
Servings: 8-10, depending on the dish and portion size
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: baked dessert with cottage cheese

Ingredients

1 liter of milk
200 g semolina
50 g butter (for the cheese mixture)
500 g cottage cheese (Pilos tub, Lidl)
4 eggs
50 g flour
grated zest of 1 lemon (well washed)
200 g sugar (divided)
100 g sour cream
2 packets of vanilla sugar

Preparation method

1. Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot. When it starts to warm up, gradually add the semolina while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps from forming. It's important not to stop stirring, especially at the beginning.
2. Let the semolina cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
3. When the semolina is cooked, add 6 tablespoons of sugar and one packet of vanilla sugar. Stir until completely dissolved, then let it cool while you prepare the cheese.
4. In a bowl, place the cottage cheese. Add the remaining sugar, the other packet of vanilla sugar, and the eggs. Mix until well combined.
5. Incorporate the sour cream, then the melted and cooled butter. Add the flour and mix the composition well.
6. Finally, add the grated lemon zest.
7. Grease a heat-resistant dish with a little butter. Pour in the semolina mixture and level it gently with a spatula or spoon.
8. Pour the cheese mixture over the semolina layer and spread it evenly.
9. Place the dish in the preheated oven at medium heat (about 180°C if using an electric oven).
10. Bake for 34-40 minutes. Check after 34 minutes: the surface should be slightly browned, and the cheese mixture should be set.
11. Turn off the heat and let the pie sit in the closed oven for another 15 minutes.
12. Remove the dish and let it cool before slicing.
13. You can dust it with sugar (I usually don’t, it’s already sweet enough), or serve it plain or with jam.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s one of the easiest cheese desserts because you don’t need a crust or layers. The cooked semolina with milk creates a solid and pleasant layer, while the cheese layer is fine and flavorful. I also like it because it slices nicely and is good both warm and cold. It can be made with easily found ingredients. It doesn’t stay long on the plate.

Tips and variations

Tips

- Use well-drained cottage cheese. If the cheese is too wet, the mixture will be softer.
- The semolina needs to be stirred well, especially at the beginning, to avoid sticking or lumps.
- If you use a different type of dish than heat-resistant (for example, a metal tray), adjust the baking time - check earlier if it’s not browning too much at the edges.

Substitutions

- You can use fresh cheese from the market instead of Pilos, as long as it’s sweet and not too sour.
- Butter can be replaced with margarine, but the result will not have the same taste.

Variations

- You can add soaked raisins to the cheese layer if you like desserts with dried fruits.
- For an extra flavor, you can add a little lemon or orange essence.
- If you want, you can sprinkle some brown sugar on top 10 minutes before the end of baking for a subtle crust.

Serving ideas

- It can be served plain, warm or cold.
- It goes well with sour cherry or apricot jam if you want something tart alongside.
- For kids, it can be served as a snack, possibly without powdered sugar, as I do.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use homemade cottage cheese?
Yes, just make sure it’s well-drained and not too sour. If it has whey, let it drain in cheesecloth for a few hours.

2. What do I do if the semolina sticks or has lumps?
You can try blending it with an immersion blender directly in the pot while it’s hot to homogenize it.

3. Can vegetable milk be used?
I haven’t tried, but the texture will change, and the taste will be different. It’s safest with cow's milk.

4. If I don’t have vanilla sugar, what can I use?
You can use vanilla extract or essence, about a teaspoon, directly in the semolina and cheese mixture.

5. Can the pie be frozen?
I don’t recommend it. The texture changes, and upon thawing, it may become watery.

Nutritional values

Estimate for one serving (1/10 of the tray):

Calories: approx. 250-300 kcal
Protein: 10-12 g
Carbohydrates: 35-38 g
Fat: 8-10 g

Values are indicative and may vary depending on the type of cheese and sour cream used.

Storage and reheating

It can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It’s good cold, but if you want to reheat it, you can put a portion in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or a few minutes in the oven at low temperature. I don’t recommend keeping it for more than 3 days because the cheese layer changes texture.

 Ingredients: 1 l milk, 200 g semolina, 50 g butter, 500 g cottage cheese (Pilos from Lidl), 4 eggs, 50 g flour, lemon zest, 200 g sugar, 100 g sour cream, 2 packets of vanilla sugar

 Tags:  cheesecake