Shared by Ron Levy-Arie
Dunce Pie (Egg and Cheese Casserole)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 45min
Dunce Pie (Egg and Cheese Casserole)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 45minFamily Journey
Plovdiv, Bulgaria and Izmir, Turkey
Tel Aviv
Kashkaval is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's and/or sheep's milk. If you cannot find it, try substituting Greek kasseri, Italian caciocavallo, or even provolone.
Read more about Ron Levy-Arie's family in "The Bulgarian Grandmother With the Golden Touch" and try his recipes for handrajo (eggplant, onion, and tomato pastry), chushki burek (Bulgarian roasted peppers stuffed with cheese), and almodrote (roasted eggplant and kashkaval pie).
This recipe is featured in our cookbook "The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long." For more holiday recipes from around the world, get your copy!
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, unpeeled and halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup (8 oz.) sour cream
- 1 cup (half pint) heavy cream
- 3 cups (10.5 oz.) grated kashkaval cheese (see headnote; use the large holes of a box grater)
Preparation
Step 1
Position a rack in the middle of the oven with plenty of space above it so the pie can rise, and preheat the oven to 425°F. Rub the inside of a 2-quart baking dish with the halved garlic clove, going over the entire surface of the dish a few times to release the garlic flavor. Grease the dish with the butter, sprinkle in the flour, and turn and shake the dish to coat the interior with the flour, tapping out any excess.
Step 2
Put the eggs, sour cream, and heavy cream in a large bowl and whisk vigorously to blend until uniform. Gently fold in the cheese until evenly combined.
Step 3
Pour the mixture into the baking dish and smooth the top. Bake until the pie is puffed and golden and the center is set and just barely firm to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 4
Remove from the oven and serve immediately. The pie will puff up in the oven but collapse shortly after you take it out.
