Buckwheat and Cottage Cheese Casserole |
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Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 75 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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From: Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass. The savory combination of buckwheat and cottage cheese shows up in many traditional Russian cookbooks, and creates the kind of dense, comforting pudding that we yearn for when there's frost on the windows. Use toasted buckwheat (kasha) for a robust flavor, and untoasted buckwheat for a subtler dish. Serve the casserole as an accompaniment to brisket, pot roast, or short ribs. Vegetarians will enjoy it as an entree. Ingredients:
1/3 cup rye flakes or 1/3 cup old fashioned oats |
2 3/4-3 cups water |
1 1/2 cups buckwheat groats |
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill or 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped |
1 teaspoon salt |
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper |
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for preparing the pan |
1 1/2 cups low fat cottage cheese |
2 large eggs, lightly beaten |
2 tablespoons sugar (optional) or 2 tablespoons honey, beaten with the eggs (optional) |
3/4 cup sour cream |
1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika |
Directions:
1. Set a rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Coat the bottom and halfway up the sides with the rye flakes or oatmeal. Set aside.
3. In a heavy 2-quart Dutch oven or saucepan, combine 2 3/4 cups of water with the buckwheat, dill, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in butter.
5. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the buckwheat is tender, about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in another 1/4 cup of water if the mixture gets dry before the buckwheat is tender.
7. Transfer the cooked buckwheat to a medium bowl.
8. Stir in the cottage cheese, followed by the eggs and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
9. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
10. With a rubber spatula, spread the sour cream in a layer on top.
11. Dust with paprika.
12. Bake until the edges are firm and the center is set, 45 to 50 minutes.
13. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
14. Run a knife along the edges and cut into 8 portions.
15. Use a spatula to remove the pieces from the pan.
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