Finnish Kaurapuuro Squares with Rye and Cottage Cheese
Savory oven-baked oat-and-rye porridge squares laced with cottage cheese, dill and toasted seeds — a warming winter brunch.
Best for A whole-grain, high-protein winter brunch with minimal added sugar
This is Finnish porridge grown up and gone savory: oats and rye simmered into a thick base, then folded with cottage cheese and eggs and baked until the top sets into a golden, sliceable slab. It eats like a cross between a porridge and a frittata — creamy under a lightly crisp lid, generously protein-rich and barely sweet. Cut it into squares, top with a spoon of extra cottage cheese and a rasp of black pepper, and you have a weekend brunch that holds you until dinner without a gram of white flour in sight.
Ingredients
- 150 g rolled oats , not instant
- 100 g wholegrain rye flakes
- 500 ml whole milk
- 250 ml water
- 400 g Cottage cheese , divided; 300 g for the batter, 100 g for topping
- 3 large eggs , lightly beaten
- 15 g Fresh dill , chopped
- 3 scallions , thinly sliced
- 40 g Pumpkin seeds , toasted
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper , freshly ground
- 1 g Ground nutmeg (optional – can be omitted)
- 10 g butter , for the baking dish
Instructions
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1
Combine the rolled oats, rye flakes, milk, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often so the grains don't catch, and cook until thick and porridge-like but still loose enough to fall from the spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes so it won't scramble the eggs.
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2
Heat the oven to 200°C and butter a 20 x 20 cm baking dish. Stir 300 g of the cottage cheese, the beaten eggs, dill, scallions, black pepper and nutmeg into the cooled porridge until evenly combined. The mixture should be thick and spoonable.
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3
Scrape the batter into the buttered dish and smooth the top. Dot the remaining 100 g cottage cheese over the surface and scatter with the toasted pumpkin seeds. Bake until set with no wobble in the center and lightly golden on top.
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4
Let the bake rest for 10 minutes to firm up, then cut into 9 squares. Serve warm with an extra spoon of cottage cheese and a grind of black pepper.