Cottage Cheese Apricot Pie Recipes

AMISH CUSTARD COTTAGE CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Place cottage cheese in strainer and let drain for about 1 hour or until most of liquid has been drained.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt, egg yolks, evaporated milk, and regular milk. Mix well.
• In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites until firm. Fold into batter until smooth. Pour into pie crusts.
• Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C), then reduce oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool on racks, then refrigerate. Flavor improves if served a day after baking.

APRICOT CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Combine oats, butter, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a small bowl. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of a 9" round pie plate.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs, dates, 1/3 cup of the pineapple juice, vanilla extract, orange zest and remaining nutmeg in a food processor, mixer or blender and mix well.
• Pour into cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until filling is set, then chill at least one hour.
• Combine remaining pineapple juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan and heat to boiling, then boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thickened and clear. Arrange drained apricot halves on top of cheese filling and spoon pineapple glaze evenly over apricots.
• Refrigerate until glaze is set.

FRAGRANT SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Brown the lamb in batches in a large, deep frying pan (there's no need to add oil). Once each batch is browned, transfer it to a sieve and pour off the excess fat from the pan before cooking the next batch. Set aside the browned mince and wipe out the pan with some kitchen paper. Whizz the onions, ginger, garlic and spices together in a food processor until finely chopped and a little pulpy (you can add a drop of water if you need to), then tip into the same pan with the oil. Cook over a medium heat for 5-6 mins until the onion is softened and the spices become fragrant.
• Return the meat to the pan along with the chopped tomatoes and purée, honey and the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hr, adding the apricots after 30 mins. The lamb and apricots should be tender, and the sauce thickened; if it's a little wet still, simmer, uncovered, for another 10 mins. Remove from the heat, stir in the coriander leaves and season well.
• While the lamb is cooking, prepare the potato topping. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 mins until tender. Once cooked, drain well and mash with the butter, seasoning and enough milk to give you a creamy consistency.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tip the lamb mixture into a large ovenproof dish and pile the mash roughly over. (It helps if you start from the edges and work your way towards the middle.) If you're making ahead, cool then freeze the pie at this point, uncovered. Once frozen, cover with cling film and use within 1 month, defrosting thoroughly before reheating.
• Bake for 40 mins from warm, or for 1 hr from cold, until the topping is beginning to brown and the filling is hot. If you like, scatter with some toasted cumin seeds to serve.