How to host a crayfish party – and why you should
West Bothnia Cheese pie or Västerbottenost paj as we call it in Sweden. Is a must at every crayfish party. The characteristics of the West Bothnia Cheese makes it especially delicious for this pie. It’s silky smooth inside and crisp outside will make you want to eat this pie often.
Crayfish party
September is usually the month to have a crayfish party. The shellfish season has begun. This means Swedes gather their friends to eat crayfish and West Bothnia Cheese pie. Well not only, but it’s the most important part.
Friendships and sharing food
It also means hanging out with your friends. Sharing good food with good friends is truly the key to a long and happy life. In fact, recent studies have shown that sharing food is good for your gut health too. When we share food we get a few of our friend’s bacteria too. Which promotes a better gut health.
Being amongst friends also makes us overall more happy and healthy. It challenges us, it gives us a sense of belonging to a group. Which extends the one of the family. We get to form alliances, share secrets and this is good for our mental health.
How to do it
Throwing a crayfish party is easy and you don’t need a lot of things to make it happen. Make the West Bothnia Cheese pie, you won’t regret it. Get some good quality crayfish, bake some hot skillet bread or buy some and make some aioli. But most importantly have your friends over!
The cheese
If you can’t get your hands on West Bothnia Cheese or Västerbotten ost a mature cheddar will also do perfectly as a stand-in. Just make sure you get that has a lot of flavours.
The baking
As always the temperature and time vary depending on your oven and other weather qualities. When you bake things for the first time keep a closer eye on what you bake. Above you can see the different colours of the pie. Before the oven, when the crust is done, to the filling and to when the pie is ready. Sometimes it’s easier to follow baking steps when you see what it should look like.
West Bothnia Cheese Pie (västerbottenost paj)
Ingredienser
Pie dough
- 180 gr flour
- 100 gr butter cold
- 0,5 tsp salt
- 0,5 tsp vinegar white
- 3 tbsp water cold
Filling:
- 200 gr grated west Bothnia cheese
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 100 gr chanterelle mushroom
- 125 gr bacon
Instruktioner
Pie dough
- Butter four ramekins or line one springform (26 cm). Heat oven to 175 C/fan.
- Knead butter, flour and salt together. Add water and vinegar and knead until you have a smooth dough.
- Roll the dough to fit the ramekins or the springform. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 10-12 minutes.
Filling
- Heat the oven to 200 C/fan.
- Mix eggs and heavy cream together. Grate the cheese and mix with salt and pepper.
- Pour the filling into the ramekins or springform. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.
- Dust the chanterelle mushroom and fry them in a little bit of butter. Set aside. Fry the bacon until really crisp. Pat them dry and crumble them.
- When the pies are ready, top them with chanterelle mushroom and bacon streusel.
Anteckning
Kanske gillar du
Almond fish – with turmeric and dill
Chocolate toffee cuts
