Spring Rye, Cottage Cheese & Dill Squares
Whole‑rye crust filled with cottage cheese, dill and scallion — a protein‑rich, springy savory bake.
Best for Wholegrain protein snack or light vegetarian lunch
A Finnish‑inspired savory square that leans on dark rye for nutty crust texture and creamy cottage cheese for protein. Bright spring dill, lemon zest and scallion lift the filling so each slice feels fresh and light. Make ahead, slice into picnic‑ready squares, or serve warm with a crisp salad.
Ingredients
- 150 g Whole rye flour
- 50 g whole wheat pastry flour
- 30 g rolled rye flakes , lightly crushed in a small bowl or pulse
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 90 g Cold unsalted butter , cut into 1 cm cubes
- 35 ml water , plus a tablespoon if needed
- 400 g Cottage cheese
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 120 g Greek yogurt
- 30 g Fresh dill , stems removed and finely chopped
- 3 scallions , white and green parts thinly sliced
- 1 g Lemon zest , from 1 small lemon
- 1 g black pepper , freshly ground
- 3 g fine sea salt , or to taste
- 20 g toasted pumpkin seeds , for sprinkling on top (optional – can be omitted)
- 30 g grated aged cheese , optional for a golden top (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
Make the rye crust: in a medium bowl combine whole rye flour, whole wheat pastry flour, crushed rolled rye flakes and 6 g salt. Rub in the cold butter with fingertips (or use a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea‑size pieces.
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2
Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just holds together when pinched; form into a flat disk, wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven for the blind bake step in 200°C.
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3
Press the chilled dough into a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 in) square baking pan lined with parchment, building the crust up the sides about 1 cm. Trim the parchment overhang so the crust sits flush. Line the crust with parchment and baking weights (or dried beans) and blind bake at 200°C for 12 minutes; remove weights and parchment and bake 5 more minutes until the crust looks dry and slightly set.
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4
Make the filling: while the crust bakes, pulse the cottage cheese briefly in a blender or food processor (10–15 seconds) if you prefer a smoother texture, or leave as is for curd character. In a bowl whisk eggs, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, 3 g salt and black pepper. Fold in cottage cheese, chopped dill and sliced scallions until evenly combined.
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5
Reduce oven temperature to 180°C. Pour the filling into the pre‑baked crust, smooth the top, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and optional grated cheese. Bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes until the center is set (a slight wobble is fine) and the top is lightly golden.
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6
Cool and finish: remove from oven and cool on a rack to warm, then chill 30 minutes for clean slicing. Cut into 9 squares and serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with extra dill if desired.