Foresters' Cheese Pie

The forest pies are certainly the most representative for Tinutul Padurenilor and the foresters prepare them for special community events or when they receive guests from other lands. Dragan Muntean, when talking about the Foresters' Festival, always mentioned that the guests were greeted with foresters pies. Even today, the local events serve the guests with this loved pies by everyone..

The foresters pies with cheese was included in the collection CULINARY ART of Romania (volume 2) and also from 2019 they have a Festival of Foresters Pies that takes place in Poiana Poiana Răchițelii, Cerbăl.

Ingredients:

1 kg of flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

375 ml of water

Scrob (filling):

300 g kneaded sheep cheese

300 g of sweet cow's milk cheese

1 tablespoon cornmeal.

200 g sour cream (preferably homemade or as thick as possible)

3-4 eggs

Optional (chopped dill)

Flour for preparing the pies and sunflower oil to heat the pan

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Prepare the dough with the above ingredients and knead until it comes off the kneading bowl but still sticky. You can also use a robot as for any dough speed 1-3. When it comes off the edges of the pot, easily cover it with flour and a cloth or leaven and leave it to rise for about 15 minutes.

While we wait for the dough to rise, we prepare the filling, mixing all the ingredients so that it becomes a not very flowing paste.

Spread the dough in a round shape of 26 cm and very thin then fold into 3 and cut the ends so that after unfolding to form a hexagon. Then we place it on a round bottom. Put 2-3 tablespoons of starch (the filling composition) in the middle, then spread it carefully until the first notches, then roll it out, gently pulling the rays in pairs and then bring it to the centre of the pie.

After it is folded, we put it on a slab or on a frying pan (preferably made of cast iron), well heated. Grease the pan with a little oil. It should be left to brown lightly on both sides.

They are tastier if served fresh hot.

Bon appetite!