Proja
Serbian cornbread with cheese
Proja (проја): Serbian cornbread with eggs, yogurt and crumbled white cheese
Golden squares of proja sit on breakfast tables all over Serbia, from Šumadija farmhouses to Belgrade flats, next to a bowl of plain yogurt or a spoon of kajmak. This is the rich, cheesy kind: fine cornmeal is stirred with eggs, yogurt, oil and a fizz of sparkling water, then baked until the crust crackles and the inside stays moist and slightly crumbly, with salty pockets of white cheese. White brined cheese is usually made with animal rennet, so pick one labelled vegetarian if that matters to you. The usual slip is using coarse polenta, which bakes up gritty; look for finely ground yellow cornmeal. Chef's tip: heat the oiled tin in the oven before the batter goes in, so the base and edges start crisping the moment they hit the metal.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz fine yellow cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powdercheck it is gluten free
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 9 oz plain yogurt
- ½ cup sunflower oilplus 1 tbsp for the tin
- ¾ cup sparkling mineral water
- 7 oz white brined cheesefeta-style or Serbian sir, crumbled; vegetarian rennet if needed
- plain yogurt or kajmak (optional)to serve
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F. Brush a 23 x 30 cm baking tin with a little of the 2 tsp sunflower oil and put it in the oven to heat for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Mix 10 ½ oz fine yellow cornmeal, 2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl.
1 minStep 3: In another bowl whisk 3 eggs, 9 oz plain yogurt and the rest of the ½ cup sunflower oil until smooth.
2 minStep 4: Pour the wet mix into the cornmeal, add ¾ cup sparkling mineral water and stir just until no dry pockets remain; the batter should be thick but pourable, like porridge. Fold in three-quarters of the 5 ½ oz white brined cheese.
2 minStep 5: Carefully take out the hot tin, pour in the batter (it should sizzle at the edges) and scatter the rest of the 1 ¾ oz white brined cheese on top.
1 minStep 6: Bake for 35–40 minutes, until deep golden with cracks across the top and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
38 minStep 7: Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm with plain yogurt or kajmak.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does proja take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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