From breakfast to dinner: The versatility of cottage cheese dishes

We often think of cottage cheese in the context of breakfast. Add fresh vegetables or slice it and serve on sandwiches with honey. However, it can also be used to create dinner dishes. They have an added benefit, as they can also be eaten as a dessert. It's worth turning to dairy products, especially during hot days. Dishes based on it are light and delicious.

Cottage cheeses from our local dairies are so delicious that you often can't resist buying a whole block. However, it can be difficult to eat it all for breakfast in such quantities. In that case, it's best to use it for dinner dishes. I have two proven tips.

On a daily basis, we tend to forget about it. And cottage cheese is not only tasty and suitable for many dishes, but it is also very healthy. First and foremost, it's a great source of protein, which is considered the most important building block of the body, obtained from food. Without protein, we wouldn't be able to function normally. It is a component of blood, lymph, hormones, and enzymes.

My first idea for a cottage cheese-based dinner is the famous "lazy" dumplings. We usually serve them sweet. Prepared with breadcrumbs, cream, cinnamon, butter, or cheese, it's already a classic. In this form, they also work well as a dessert. However, lazy dumplings pair excellently with savoury additions. In summer, chanterelle sauce or other mushroom-based sauces are unbeatable. You can also prepare a sauce with seasonal vegetables. But the key is good, soft dumplings.

Ingredients:

• 450 grams (1 lb) of semi-fat cottage cheese,
• 240 ml (1 cup) of all-purpose flour,
• 2 eggs,
• 2 tablespoons of sugar,
• a pinch of salt.

Preparation:

1. Crush the cottage cheese with a fork and add the flour. Then, add the eggs, sugar, and salt. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Knead the dough (dust the countertop or board with flour) and form it into a roll. Divide it into several smaller parts.
3. Cut the lazy dumplings at an angle with a sharp knife. Boil water in a pot.
4. When the water begins to boil, carefully drop the prepared dumplings in. When they float, wait another 2 minutes and drain.

These soft dumplings are associated with summer because they taste best with fruit—now strawberries and apricots, but soon plums. This dish came to us from German-speaking countries, which are extremely popular. Its classic, most well-known version is based on potatoes. However, dumplings can also be made from cottage cheese. They will be more delicate this way. The cottage cheese will give them incredible softness and increase their nutritional value. These dumplings can be served with sour cream or melted butter with breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:

• 400 grams (14 oz) of full-fat cottage cheese,
• 2 eggs,
• 55 grams (2 oz) of sugar,
• 30 grams (1 oz) of butter,
• 200 grams (7 oz) of breadcrumbs,
• half a vanilla bean,
• juice of half a lemon,
• whole strawberries, preferably large and sweet,
• cream for serving.

Preparation:

1. Mix the squeezed cottage cheese with eggs until smooth. Add half a vanilla bean and 55 grams (2 oz) of sugar.
2. Add the butter, lemon juice, and breadcrumbs to the mixture. Knead the dough. Refrigerate the ready dough for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: melt the butter in a pan, add sugar, and when the ingredients combine, add chopped nuts.
4. Wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
5. Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it into 8 parts.
6. Flatten each piece of dough in your hands and place a strawberry in the centre. Seal the whole, forming neat balls.
7. After they float to the surface, cook the strawberry dumplings over low heat in lightly salted water for 5 minutes.
8. Serve with sour cream.