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Fluffy Curd Casserole with Semolina in the Oven
Instructions
Pour warm milk (35–40 °C) over the semolina and leave it to swell for 15 minutes. This is a critically important stage – the texture of the finished casserole depends on it. Cold milk will not let the semolina swell properly, while hot milk will "cook" it into lumps.
Whisk the chilled eggs with the sugar, vanillin and a pinch of salt using a mixer for 5–7 minutes until you get a fluffy, pale mass. The salt enhances the flavour and helps the eggs whip up better.
Add the cottage cheese, soft butter and the swollen semolina with its milk. Whisk with a mixer or blender until smooth, for 1–2 minutes. Be sure to rub coarse-grained cottage cheese through a sieve or puree it with a blender beforehand – otherwise there will be "grains" in the casserole.
Pour the batter into a baking dish greased with butter. Spread the washed dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, prunes) evenly on top. You can soak the dried fruits in warm water for 10 minutes beforehand to make them softer. Bake at 180 °C for about 40–45 minutes, until a skewer comes out dry.
Let the casserole cool completely in the dish – while hot it is too fragile and breaks when cut. Cut it into portions and serve with sour cream, berries or jam.
Tips
- 1
Use rich homemade cottage cheese with 9–18% fat – the casserole will be more tender and more "curd-like" in flavour. Low-fat cottage cheese will make it dry.
- 2
The semolina should swell well in the milk for 15 minutes – that way the casserole will be fluffy, without crunchy grains.
- 3
The dried fruits can be replaced with fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries), raisins or chopped nuts. I bake syrniki from cottage cheese on a similar principle.
- 4
Serve with sour cream, caramelised fruit, condensed milk or jam – whatever you like.
FAQ
Why does the casserole sink after the oven? +
This is completely normal – once it cools it will settle a little, but it will stay fluffy and tender. If it sinks badly, you may not have whisked the eggs enough or used too runny a batter (too little semolina). Heavy sinking also happens from opening the oven door sharply during the first 25 minutes – the sudden change in temperature collapses the airy structure. To keep the casserole from sinking much, leave it in the switched-off oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes after baking.
Can you make the casserole without semolina? +
Yes, replace the semolina with the same amount of wheat flour (4 tbsp) – the texture will be a little different, more "cake-like" and less fluffy. Alternatives to semolina: finely ground oat flakes (a healthier option), cornflour (1 tbsp instead of 4 tbsp of semolina), rice flour (for a gluten-free version), milk powder (3 tbsp). Each one gives its own character. Without some kind of "binder" the casserole will not work – it will be runny and will not bake through properly.
How long does the curd casserole keep? +
In the refrigerator, in a tightly closed container – up to 3 days. You can reheat it in the microwave for 30–60 seconds or serve it cold. Cold casserole with hot jam is a wonderful contrast. You can freeze it in portions in zip-lock bags for a month – thaw at room temperature before serving. After thawing the texture will be a little less fluffy, but the flavour is preserved. Fresh casserole is always tastier.
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