Vatrushki with cottage cheese from shortcrust pastry

4 servings

150 minutes

Cottage cheese vatrushki are a traditional pastry of Russian cuisine, known for their tender, crumbly dough and sweet creamy filling. The origins of the dish date back centuries when vatrushki were a popular treat at fairs and family gatherings. Their main secret is the elastic shortcrust pastry that becomes the perfect base for the cottage cheese filling with raisins after cooling. A light sweetness, the tenderness of cottage cheese, and the rich aroma of butter create a harmony of flavors. Vatrushki are especially good warm, with a cup of tea or coffee. They are suitable for breakfast, cozy evenings, or entertaining guests. The simplicity of preparation and the ability to experiment with fillings make this dish a favorite among cooks.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 553.5
• Proteins: 20.5g
• Fats: 33.3g
• Carbohydrates: 37.2g

Ingredients

• Wheat flour: 1 glass
• Butter: 125 g
• Cottage cheese: 300 g
• Sugar: 2 tsp
• Chicken egg: 2 pc
• Cognac: 2 tbsp
• Light raisins: 20 g
• Salt: pinch

Cooking steps

1. Chop the cold butter into cubes.

   Required ingredients:

   • Butter: 125 g

2. Add a cup of flour to the butter.

   Required ingredients:

   • Wheat flour: 1 glass

3. Whisk 1 egg with 75 grams of sugar and a pinch of salt separately in a glass.

   Required ingredients:

   • Chicken egg: 2 pieces
   • Sugar: 2 teaspoons
   • Salt:  pinch

4. Combine everything and knead thoroughly to avoid oily lumps. The dough for the vatrushkas should be elastic (if it turns out dry and crumbly, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water, and if it's too soft, try adding 2-3 tablespoons of flour).

   Required ingredients:

   • Wheat flour: 1 glass

5. Wrap the prepared dough for curd pastries in film and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (this dough can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days).

6. At this time, you can prepare the filling for the vatrushki (if desired, the filling can be easily replaced with regular cottage cheese mass sold in stores. For this amount of vatrushki, 3 packs of cottage cheese mass will be enough) — thoroughly mash the cottage cheese with 1 egg (the second one is needed for greasing the vatrushki), 2 teaspoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt.

   Required ingredients:

   • Cottage cheese: 300 g
   • Chicken egg: 2 pieces
   • Sugar: 2 teaspoons
   • Salt:  pinch

7. Wash a handful of raisins and soak for 30-40 minutes. It's better to take small, seedless raisins. Thoroughly mix the resulting cottage cheese mass with the raisins.

   Required ingredients:

   • Light raisins: 20 g

8. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5–10 mm and divide it into bases for the cheesecakes — you will get 7–8 pieces.

9. Line the baking tray with parchment paper, grease with butter, and place the bases of the cheesecakes on it.

   Required ingredients:

   • Butter: 125 g

10. Place 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle.

11. Shape the edges of the cheesecakes into 'borders' and brush them with the yolk of 1 egg.

    Required ingredients:

    • Chicken egg: 2 pieces

12. Bake the cheesecakes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.