Page 457 - Pie Squared

GOOD MORNING CHEESE

DANISH SLAB PIE

WITH A PUFF PASTRY CRUST

Serves 8 or 12

This pie blends two of my favorite breakfast treats: the cheese
Danish and the blintz and satisfies my desire for savory (cheesy) and
sweet (fruit). Here, a buttery puff pastry foundation pillows a bright,
creamy filling and a whisper of tart, sweet jam. As pretty as it is tasty,

this pie deserves a place at your next brunch table. Farmer cheese
is pressed cottage cheese, like a firmer version of ricotta, divinely
creamy and melty. You can usually find it in the dairy section near
the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream. The filling

makes more than is needed for the pie, so do as my grandmother
did and stir the cheesy blintz filling into eggs before scrambling in
plenty of butter for a creamy, child-friendly breakfast.

Make Ahead: Make the filling up to 2 hours ahead. Roll out the crust,
cover, and refrigerate up to 2 hours before baking. Assemble the pie

up to 1 hour before baking. Keep covered and refrigerated until
ready to bake.

1 sheet puff pastry (7 to 10 ounces, 200 g to 285 g), defrosted if frozen, but
still cold

¾ cup (6 ounces, 170 g) farmer cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup (2 ounces, 56 g) cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk