Cheese pies

In all regions of Romania you can have donuts filled with sweet or slightly salty cheese, bearing various names. The northeastern region of Moldova boasts the famous “poale-n brau, similar to donuts, which look like twisted pies, also called “branzoaice (cheese pies). In the southern region of Dobrogea, this pastry is filled with slightly salty cheese, just like in Transylvania, where it was named after the Hungarian pie, langos.

Ștefan Baciu, 16.09.2016, 19:06

In all regions of Romania you can have donuts filled with sweet or slightly salty cheese, bearing various names. The northeastern region of Moldova boasts the famous “poale-n brau, similar to donuts, which look like twisted pies, also called “branzoaice (cheese pies). In the southern region of Dobrogea, this pastry is filled with slightly salty cheese, just like in Transylvania, where it was named after the Hungarian pie, langos.

There are also slight differences in the cooking process, as “branzoaice are cooked in the oven, whereas langosi are deep fried, just like donuts. In the Apuseni Mountains, the locals make another type of cheese pie, filled with a mixture of fermented cheese and dill. The dough is hand made, rolled out into fine sheets. You spread the mixture in the middle and slightly try to bring the ends to the centre. Then roll-out into a thinner sheet, carefully, until you get a round-shaped pie, small enough to be slightly fried in a pan, with very little oil. There is also another version of this pie, which is baked on a hot tin. It looks very much like a pancake, but it has a cheese filling.

Many festivals devoted to the local cheese pie, branzoaica, are organised in Moldova, being intended to praise the local makers skills and the old, original recipes, and to promote the attractions of the area.

To make “poale-n brau, you need half a kilo of flour, 50 g of fresh yeast, or a sachet of dry yeast, four eggs, milk, sugar and salt. To make the filling, you need slightly salty cow cheese and dill, or cottage cheese and raisins. If you use dry yeast, then you mix all ingredients together, with the flour. To make the dough, the yeast should be dissolved into lukewarm milk, then mixed with 3 egg yolks and 100g of sugar. Pour this mixture into a big bowl, over the flour and knead for 20 minutes, until you get a smooth dough. Leave it to rise for about an hour in a warm room. Roll out this dough into sheets, making sure they are not too thick, but not too thin either, then cut them into squares about 15 cm to a side. Spread the filling evenly on the dough sheets, then cover, by bringing the edges to the centre.

Brush egg wash and sugar on top, then bake them at medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!