Aunt Milena's Pastries

I made these little pastries on the second day of Christmas this year, so we'd have something warm, soft and doughy alongside all the food we had prepared for the next likee 7 days or so... when it comes to quantities, Serbs always go a bit overboard, as if we're afraid a multi-decade-long famine is about to strike.

These are my favorites, made following the recipe of my mom' aunt. Grandma Milena was my grandfather' sister. ❤️In my mom's recipe notebook, this one is listed under "Aunt Milena's Pastries".

Here's everything you'll need to make them quickly, easily and effortlessly at your home:

500ml of warm milk

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 cube of fresh yeast (about 40 grams)

2 teaspoons of salt

3 small cups of oil (about 300 ml in total)

around 800 grams of white wheat flour

2 eggs

200 grams of sesame seeds

about 70 grams of margarine

cheese cut into small cubes

Use whichever type and amount you like. This time I used homemade full-fat cow's cheese, which softened a bit, but you can use any kind you like. A firmer cheese is actually better, so it stays in the center even after the pastries cool.

Note: These pastries are truly special because the dough is quite rich in fat, which makes it very easy to shape into little balls. But if you feel that's too much oil, feel free to reduce it. You'll still end up with equally lovely pastries, I'm sure.

Note 2: If you don't have fresh yeast, no worries, just use a whole packet instant dry yeast and it will work just as well. Or simply follow the instructions on the packet you have at home. Here, a typical packet is about 12 grams, which is perfect for the amount of flour used in this recipe.

Preparation:

Warm the milk slightly so that it's lukewarm, not hot. Crumble in the cube of yeast and add the sugar. Stir and let it sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast. Then add the salt, oil and gradually mix in the flour. Knead everything together by hand with hands (or with a spatula) until you get a nice, soft dough that easily comes away from your fingers. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to rise until it doubles in size.

Meanwhile, prepare three bowls:

one with the cheese,

one with the two beaten eggs

and the third with the sesame seeds.

Note about the sesame seeds: The recipe doesn't specify and we've always used raw, fresh sesame seeds before. This time, I toasted them first, which gives a slightly different flavor. You can use whichever you prefer, either way, the pastries will turn out great!

Here you can see how half of the sesame seeds ended up in the plate with beaten eggs but it's no surprise, since that's exactly how the rolling process works. I'll explain everything to you now, hihi. 😁

Once the dough has risen and doubled in size, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 190°C (about 375°F). If your oven heats up quickly, you can turn it on a bit later so it doesn’t run empty and waste electricity for nothing. xD

Now the fun part begins! Do not knead the dough again. As soon as it has risen, take about 50 small balls of dough. Flatten each ball slightly in your hand, place a cube of cheese in the center, fold the dough around it so the cheese doesn't escape and shape it back into a neat little ball. Repeat with all 50 pieces. Next, dip each ball completely in the beaten eggs, then roll it in sesame seeds and place it on the prepared baking sheet.

Before putting them in the oven, put a little margarine on top of each pastry (you can use butter if you have it, it tastes nicer and is healthier). Bake for about 15 minutes or a few minutes longer, depending on your oven, until golden color.

I also took photo of these few "different" ones, just to remind myself to tell you that if you don't have enough sesame seeds (or at all), you can use caraway seeds (lat. Carum carvi), if you like them in dough, of course.

They're absolutely delicious on their own, so you don't really need to think about what to eat them with. But of course, you can if you want to. They go perfectly with literally everything > yogurt, cured meats, roasted meat, creamy salads with sour cream and mayonnaise… honestly, with anything.

And that's it. All that's left is to enjoy the softest, most delicious sesame and cheese pastries. ❤️

Enjoy and bon appétit!