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Sir i vrhnje
Fresh cheese with sour cream
Sir i vrhnje: Zagreb fresh cow's cheese with sour cream and paprika, from Croatia
Under the red umbrellas of Dolac, Zagreb's open-air market, village women from the surrounding hills sell soft fresh cheese and thick sour cream side by side, and Zagreb people buy both to eat together. Sir i vrhnje is barely a recipe: crumbly, mild, slightly sour curd piled on a plate, a generous spoon of cold vrhnje on top, sweet paprika and a little salt. It is a classic breakfast or late snack with warm bread, spring onions and radishes, and it sits happily next to a plate of štrukli or a bowl of soup. Fresh cow's cheese is usually set with acid or a little rennet, so check the label or ask the seller if you avoid animal rennet. A common mistake is mashing everything into a smooth paste; the pleasure is in soft curds against cool cream. Chef's tip: let the cheese stand out of the fridge for 10 minutes before serving, so its milky taste comes through.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz fresh cow's cheesesvježi sir, quark or drained cottage cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- 7 oz thick sour cream20% fat or more
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 pinch hot paprika (optional)
- 2 spring onionsthinly sliced
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 6 radishes (optional)halved, to serve
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: If the 14 oz fresh cow's cheese looks wet, tip it into a sieve and drain for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Break it up lightly with a fork and fold in ½ tsp salt, keeping plenty of soft curds whole.
2 minStep 3: Pile the cheese on a plate and spoon the cold 7 oz thick sour cream over the top in a thick layer.
1 minStep 4: Dust with 1 tsp sweet paprika and 1 pinch hot paprika if using, scatter over 2 spring onions and 1 pinch black pepper, and serve with 6 radishes. Keep any leftovers in the fridge and eat within a day.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sir i vrhnje take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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 thick sour cream?
- Greek yoghurt, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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