It is snowing outside today. Thank goodness, it is not as cold as it was yesterday, but still – winter is definitely here! We went outside for a little bit, shoveled and tried to build a snowman. Alas, the snow was way too fluffy for that, so back inside to the cozy warmth of the house we went. I don’t know about you, but in winter, I totally crave carbs (quite honestly, I crave carbs all the time, but am able to control myself better when it’s above 70F/21C:). This happens mostly because they make me feel warm and satiated. That’s why there is a lot of baking going on this time of year. From pasta and bread to cookies and rolls – bring it on!
Now here is the interesting part: as you all know, I really like to cook, especially making main courses, soups and salads. I know, Ms. Obvious here. But I noticed that two of my three boys are showing big interest in cooking as well. And because we all have such a sweet tooth, they like to specialize in desserts. How awesome is that? My youngest son is learning and always wants to help. Sometimes, in the middle of the week, it’s hard to whip things up from scratch, so I keep boxes of cake, brownie or cookie mixes in my pantry, and he thoroughly enjoys following the directions and preparing them. My oldest son, on the other hand, is already quite a seasoned baker, and is basically the go-to person when anybody wants something sweet.
So today I am sharing something that we both discovered a few years back – rolls filled with ricotta cheese. (I’ll be honest here, I am not sure what I should call them: rolls, buns or pastries. Let me know in the comments what you think:) These are pretty popular in Lithuania and are quite often made with bacon bits and sauerkraut for a filling. Paired with a clear soup, these rolls make a great lunch. But the ones with ricotta cheese are just sweet enough to be enjoyed with a cup of hot tea or coffee. A dessert? Maybe. A sweet treat for an afternoon snack – at that ungodly hour of way past lunch but still such a long time before dinner – for sure!
Ingredients
Dough
Flour, 4 cups (about 2 pounds)
Eggs, 2
Dry yeast, 10-15 g (2 tbsp)
Warm milk, 3 cups
Sugar, ½ cup
Pinch of salt
Filling
Ricotta cheese, 3 cups
Eggs, 2
Sugar, 5 tbsp (or more if you like it really sweet:)
Yolks of a couple of eggs for brushing the rolls, whisked
Preparation
- In a large bowl, combine dry yeast with flour and mix well.
- Combine the two eggs with sugar and whisk until mixed well. Pour into the flour and yeast mixture.
- Pour warm (not hot!) milk int the flour mixture and start kneading the dough. You may add some more flour if the dough is too sticky. The most important part, however, is to knead the dough enough so that it is soft and well combined.
- Set the dough aside and let it rise.
- Make the filling: mix the ricotta cheese with eggs and sugar.
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- When the dough is ready, pinch of a small amount of it, roll it out, place a tablespoon or so of ricotta filling in the middle and the fold it so it makes a roll and the filling does not spill.
- When the rolls are about ready to cook, brush their tops with the egg yolks
9. Cook for about a half hour or until the top becomes golden brown.
10. Enjoy!
What do you crave in winter months?
Do your kids show interest in cooking? If so, what do you make?
Finally, what do you think – is my recipe that of rolls, buns or pastries? Let me know in the comments!