Serves 4 to 5
This is not really sweet enough for a dessert, but it is a good dish for brunch or lunch.
• 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
• ½ cup sour cream
• 5 Tbs. flour
• 5 tsp. sugar
• 12 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• crushed seeds from 2 cardamom pods
• 1 Tbs. butter, melted
• 5 egg yolks
• 5 egg whites
• pinch of cream of tartar
Garnish
• cranberry relish or
• applesauce or
• fresh fruit
1. Combine the cottage cheese and the sour cream in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the flour gradually, stirring it in thoroughly after each addition. Add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, melted butter, and egg yolks. Beat the mixture with a whisk to make sure that everything is well blended and there are no lumps of flour.
2. Heat the mixture over very low heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken. Continue stirring, without letting it come to a boil, for about 3 minutes. The sauce should have a custard-like consistency. Remove it from the heat and let it cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
3. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they hold stiff peaks. Stir about ⅓ of the beaten whites into the cottage cheese sauce, then gently fold in the rest.
4. Pile the mixture into a buttered 2-quart soufflé dish and bake it in a preheated 350-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with cranberry relish, applesauce, or fresh fruit.
