Västerbottensost Swedish Cheese Pie

Västerbottensost Paj: Swedish Cheese Pie

Serves	12
Prep time	40 minutes
Cook time	40 minutes
Total time	1 hours, 20 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Milk, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion	Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Formal Party
Region	Swedish
By author	Bronte Aurell

This delicious Swedish cheese pie is served as part of the Midsummer Smorgasbord in Sweden, as well for Crayfish parties in August.

Ingredients

Pastry

125g cold butter
200g plain flour
pinch of sea salt
water

Pie

300g Västerbottensost cheese (grated)
3 large free range eggs
100ml full fat milk
250ml double cream
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Note

This delicious Swedish cheese pie is served as part of the Midsummer Smorgasbord in Sweden, as well for Crayfish parties in August. (This is my adapted recipe from Bronte Aurell and Scandi Kitchen)

Directions

Step 1	Preheat oven to 180C/250F/Gas mark 4. Line a loose bottom tart tin with baking paper. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
Step 2	To make the pastry, place the butter, flour and salt into a food processor and blitz until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Slowly add the water whilst running it on a low speed until the pasty forms a dough. Chill the pastry for 30 minutes before using.
Step 3	Roll the pastry out on a floured board and line the tart tin with it. Prick the base with a fork and line the pastry with baking paper - weigh it down by adding baking beans inside the lined pastry case and bake blind for 15 to 20 minutes - sitting the tin on the pre-heated baking sheet. Allow the beans to cool before removing.
Step 4	Meanwhile, make the pie filling by mixing the ingredients for the filing together, stirring in the grated Västerbottensost cheese last.
Step 5	Carefully pour the pie filling into the pastry case, place it back in the oven on the pre-heated baking sheet once again and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the filling has puffed up and is cooked.
Step 6	Remove from the oven and leave to cool before serving in slices with crème fraîche, chopped red onion and red caviar or lumpfish roe. This pie is also served with a leafy salad and potato salad.
Step 7	A special sauce can be made called Romsås - mix a jar of red lumpfish roe with 3 tablespoons of crème fraîche.