Cottage Cheese Dumplings with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

These pillowy cottage cheese dumplings are called virtinukai in Lithuania, usually eaten with something sweet, like fresh berries or jams, served with sugar and sour cream - a children’s favorite breakfast. That’s how I used to eat them when I was a kid and most of my adult time. But, in my opinion, a savory version elevates these dumplings to another level and turns them into a more sophisticated dish.

Yields: 3 servings

Ingredients:

For the dumplings:

• 400g cottage cheese

• 1 egg

• about 60g or 1/2 cup flour (I always eyeball this part, watching the consistency of the dough which should be pliable - you know it’s good when it doesn’t stick to your fingers. I start with a few TBS and if it’s still sticky I add 1 TBS at a time)

For the toppings:

• cherry tomatoes

• goat cheese

• extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

• parsley or basil

Instructions:

1. In a larger bowl add cottage cheese, crack in the egg and mix well with a fork.

2. Start adding the flour in parts, mixing and checking for the right consistency. The dough should be pliable and it shouldn’t stick to your fingers.

3. Start forming “sausages” with your hands and cutting them into bite-size pieces. Repeat the process until the dough is finished.

4. Now, there are two ways to proceed:

(1) You can add the dumplings to boiling water right away and once they come up to the surface simmer for 4-5 min on low heat.

(2) For my version, freeze your pillowy virtinukai lightly dusting a cutting board with flour and laying them in a single layer so that it is easier to remove. Once they are ready to be eaten, heat a pan with some oil, add your frozen dumplings and let them warm up for 1-2min. Pour in a splash of water to create steam, cover the pan and let it steam for 2-3 min on medium heat. Uncover, raise the heat to maximum and fry until golden brown.

5. Serve with pan-fried tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese, EVOO, and top with parsley or basil.