Alec

Mini Veg: Swedish Midsummer Cheese Pie

We spent a looong weekend in the country celebrating Midsummer last week.

Midsummer is the shortest night of the year and it’s celebrated in a big way in Sweden. Most of us leave the city and head out to the country for the weekend. We were eight grown-ups and four children who took over my parents’ country place for the weekend and it was fabulous! 

I LOVE being in the country with Alec. It’s such a joy to watch him enjoy his increased freedom – coming and going almost as he pleases and being allowed to stray so much further from Mum and Dad’s side. There are lots of animals, but the chickens are by far the biggest draw. And nothing beats the gravel in front of the house.

The traditional midsummer meal is not very vegetarian-friendly as it’s based on pickled herring with sides. Since my husband and Little A don’t eat fish (and to be honest, I am not a huge fan of herring), I decided to make a cheese pie as a vegetarian complement to the herring lunch. You could make this with any aged hard cheese, like a good cheddar, but if you get a chance, buy some “Västerbotten” cheese next time you are at IKEA. it’s absolutely delicious (get enough so you can pimp up your next grilled cheese sandwich as well – you will never go back!).

Midsummer Cheese Pie

Crust:

  • 300 ml flour
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 125 gr butter
Filling:
  • 250 ml cream
  • 1 egg
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black peppar
  • 800 ml shredded cheese
  1. Heat oven to 200 degrees celsius
  2. Chop up the butter while it’s really cold and work it into the flour. Add the water and work it quickly into a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 15ish minutes.
  3. Press the dough into a pie dish (with removable sides) and prick it all around with a fork. Pre-bake the crust for around 12 minutes.
  4. Beat cream, egg, egg yolks, salt and pepper. Add the cheese. Fill the crust. Bake in the middle of the oven for around 25 minutes until golden. Allow to cool a little before serving.
  5. Serve with a green salad. Or if you are not serving up a vegetarian meal, serve with a little sour cream, chopped red onion and caviar!

For more family-friendly vegetarian meal ideas, click here.

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  • Sumit & Léonie. Bringing up the rear through the orchard as we moved sheep from one paddock to another.
  • Cousins.
  • Bedtime stories with Tana & Morfar.
  • Since we weren't here at Midsummer, the children had their cinnamon buns and strawberry drink café in front of my parents' house yesterday afternoon. Alec and Louis and I baked all morning and family all dropped by to #fika and chat. Alec was so excited for it and bravely let everyone know what time to come. And then he did all the math and figured out all the change, while Louis helped to serve drinks. At one point someone asked what a gin tonic costs and we mixed one up and served that too - anything for charity, right? We'll be donating all the proceeds to UNICEF, just like the last three years.
  • Lovely little #Brittås in high summer. Whatever is growing here (wheat? barley?) is growing so high that I almost couldn't get a photo.
  • We're back home and really just spending time at home, catching up in the garden and in the house, trying to cross things off a list that has had to wait during the busy busy school year. I'd so love to have a cleaner, clearer, un-cluttered home by back-to-school...
  • Buon giorno Costa Smeralda! #lastdayinparadise #dontwannaleave #malhotrasinsardegna2017
  • Today was just one of those perfect days. The kind we'll look back on in the dead of the dark Swedish winter ahead. The kind making us teary with gratitude for a holiday like this in our favourite place on earth. Perfection. From the first dip and the kids' swimming lessons in the pool this morning to a looong lovely afternoon at our favourite beach, dinner at the pizzeria on our way home, and a skinny dip in the dark after the kids were down. 👌🏼 #malhotrasinsardegna2017
  • This little crew tho! We had them close together (40 months between Alec and Léonie) and it has been pretty intense at times with three small kids to take care of. But it's getting easier all the time, and the joy they have in eachother is such a gift and makes all the hard times worth it. #malhotrasinsardegna2017
  • Swimming lessons in paradise. #malhotrasinsardegna2017