Eastern European Cheese Pastry

Ingredients

• 300 gflour
• 200 gcheese
• 100 gbutter
• 1egg

Method

1. Begin by removing 100 g of butter from the refrigerator and allowing it to come to room temperature. This will make it easier to incorporate into the dough. At the same time, take out 1 egg and let it sit at room temperature, which helps it blend more smoothly into the mixture.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 300 g of flour with a pinch of salt. Add the softened butter to the flour, using your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This step ensures the pastry will be light and flaky.
3. Grate 200 g of cheese and set it aside. Crack the room temperature egg into a small bowl and beat it lightly. Gradually add the beaten egg to the flour and butter mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together.
4. Once the dough begins to form, incorporate the grated cheese into the mixture. Use your hands to gently knead the dough in the bowl until it is smooth and all ingredients are well combined. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this can make the pastry tough.
5. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1 cm. Cut the dough into desired shapes, such as squares or circles, using a sharp knife or pastry cutter.
6. Place the cut pastry pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a small space between each piece to allow for expansion. Bake in the preheated oven until the pastries are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, which should take about 15-20 minutes.
7. Once baked, remove the pastries from the oven and let them cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve the cheese pastries warm, allowing the flavors to fully develop and the texture to be at its best for sharing at the table.