Soft Cheese Slices (fatias de Requeijão)

This is a Traditional recipe from Alentejo usually done at farmhouses because the farmers do their own cheese and they use it to prepare this kind of cake-pudding.

Ingredients:

1 lb (450 gr) soft cheese (riccota, requeijão)

7 oz (200 gr) granulated sugar

4 oz (110 gr) flour

4 egg yolks

6 whole eggs

1 coffeespoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Combine the sugar with the cheese, to obtain a soft paste. Add the flour, the cinnamon, the eggs and the egg yolks. Mix very well. Prepare a baking tray , 8x12 inches (20.5 x 30.5) well greased and lined.

The lining paper must also be greased and sprinkled with flour. Pour the mixture onto this and bake at 180ºc/350ºF/Gas 4 for 20 minutes, until firm and golden.

Cut the cake into slices and sprinkle with icing sugar or cinnamon.

Requeijão

Requeijão is made with the whey of the milk and usually having a characteristic strong taste. It is produced all over the country, specially in the Lower Beira region.
Its taste and texture are similar to that of riccota cheese and it is eaten fresh. It is tipically sold in specially designed draining plastic or basket-like weaved containers.
There are many portuguese recipes that use requeijão, for example puddings or cheesecakes but it is also served with jams like pumpkin jam.



Requeijão with Pumpkin Jam