Cottage cheese spreads are a very popular part of Slovenian cuisine. They can be bought already made as many other diary products or they can be made at home. I am more fond of the second option. It goes well with prosciutto, salami etc. or just the spread on a nice slice of bread is very tasty too.
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| Big variety of cottage cheese spreads |
Cottage cheese is one of many diary products that were traditionally made on every farm. Even small farmers used to have a few cows for the milk and the meat. During summer they used to make sour milk, which is like homemade yogurt. Cottage cheese, sour cream and sometimes cheese are other diary products that were often made. These were good sources of proteins and they enriched sometimes a very poor and monotone diet.
So it is very common in Slovenian cuisine that we use cottage cheese in many ways.
Today we will make a few tasty spreads that can be served in many different ways.
Cottage cheese spread with herbs:
Ingredients:
200g of Cottage cheese
1 or 2 tbsp of sour cream
1 small cube of butter or 1tbsp of olive oil
1 small onion or 1 shallot - about 1 tbsp finely chopped
1 small clove of garlic - finely chopped
2 tbsp of finely chopped spring onions and or chives
1 tbsp of finely chopped thyme
1 tbsp of finely chopped parsley
Salt to taste
Black Pepper
Pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin seeds for the garnish - optional
Preparation:
Put cottage cheese in a bowl and smash well with forks. Add sour cream and mix well. Then add all other ingredients and mix all together to get creamy spread. Put in the fridge for a while - If possible for a few hours for all the ingredients and tastes to absorb.
Instead of thyme or additional to it, you can also use other herbs.
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| Smash with forks and add all the rest |
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| Cottage cheese spread with herbs |
You could use dill that goes excellent with cucumbers. Or marjoram or oregano that go very well also with grilled tomatoes. Or you can use some other herbs and you will get different taste. Depends on what you have in your fridge and what you can buy in your store.
I garnish it with pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds.
Cottage cheese spread with spices:
Ingredients:
200g of Cottage cheese
1 or 2 tbsp of sour cream
1 small cube of butter or 1tbsp of olive oil
1 small onion or 1 shallot - about 1 tbsp finely chopped
1 small clove of garlic - finely chopped
2 tbsp of finely chopped spring onions and or chives
1 tsp of sweet red paprika (red pepper) powder
1 pinch of chilli powder - optional
Salt to taste
pinch or two of cumin powder
Preparation:
Put cottage cheese in a bowl and smash well with forks. Add sour cream and mix well. Then add all other ingredients and mix all together to get creamy spread.
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| Smash well with forks and add all the spices. |
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| Cottage cheese spread made as cheese balls |
If you do not use the whole quantity of spread at once, you can save it in the fridge for a few days.
Cottage cheese spread with Tuna
Ingredients:
200g Cottage cheese
1 tbsp of sour cream
1 canned Tuna in oil - about 70g
1 or 2 tbsp of grounded sunflower seeds
1 tbsp of olive oil - If needed
1 small onion or 1 shallot - about 1 tbsp finely chopped
1 clove of garlic - finely chopped
1 tbsp of finely chopped spring onions and or chives
1 tea spoon of finely chopped thyme
1 tbsp of finely chopped parsley (Italian parsley)
Salt to taste
pinch of grounded black pepper or to taste
Preparation:
For making this spread I would recommend using food processor.
First drain all the oil from the canned tuna. You can use this oil later instead of olive oil. Put the tuna in the food processor together with cottage cheese, sour cream, onions and garlic. Mix well. Then add grounded sunflower seeds that will make the spread more dense. Add all finely chopped herbs and greens. Mix and taste. Now you can add some salt but be careful as the tuna is already salty. Add grounded black pepper and mix.
If the spread is too soft add some more grounded sunflower seeds. If it is too thick, add olive oil. Put in the fridge for a while - If possible for a few hours for all the ingredients and tastes to absorb well.
Instead of sunflower seeds you can add something else, for example sesame seeds which you can buy already grounded. You can also add grounded NORI. Of course with all that you will get a bit different taste that can also be very delicious.
You can keep in the fridge for a few days up to one week.
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| Cottage cheese cake with bread and all three spreads. |
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| Starter with cottage cheese cones, fresh cheese and chicken pate. |
My suggestion for delicious sandwich:
2 slice of toast - toasted
1 slice spread with pre-made cottage cheese spread
cover with green leaves or salad leaves
on the top put grilled tomato garnished with olive oil, a beat of garlic, salt and finely chopped thyme or parsley or basil
Add a thin slice of bell pepper - optional
My tip:
If you cannot get cottage cheese in the store, it happened to me in some parts of the world, you can make very delicious and creamy fresh cheese from yogurt. You need to drain the water out of yogurt. You will need a shit of clean cotton, napkin and strainer. Put the yogurt into cotton and hang it over a bowl for a few hours, overnight would be even better. You can drink this drained water - whey, it is actually very healthy.
So you can use that instead of cottage cheese and sour cream.
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