Lozenges or Curd Cheese Pastries

These little sandwich pastries have a distinctly medieval feel. Thin whole wheat shortcrust rectangles baked until crisp and golden, then sandwiched together with a filling of cottage cheese mixed with toasted pine nuts, finely chopped raisins, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon.

The pastry gets rolled very thin and cut into small rectangles before baking. Thin is the goal here: crisp, cracker-like layers that shatter when you bite through to the soft, sweet cheese filling inside. Think of them as a rustic predecessor to modern cream-filled pastries.

The filling comes together while the pastry cools. Cottage cheese (or any fresh curd cheese) mixed with the pine nuts and raisins gives you a textured, slightly grainy filling with pockets of sweetness and crunch. Lemon juice brightens everything and keeps the cheese from tasting flat.

Chef Tips

• Roll the pastry as thin as you can manage. Thick pastry won’t get crisp enough to hold its shape as a sandwich.
• Cool the baked rectangles completely before filling. Warm pastry absorbs moisture from the cheese and goes soggy.
• Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden before chopping. Raw pine nuts taste bland.
• Assemble right before serving for the crispest texture.

Variations

• Use ricotta instead of cottage cheese for a smoother, creamier filling.
• Replace raisins with finely chopped candied ginger for a spicier bite.
• Dust the finished pastries with powdered sugar for a sweeter presentation.