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This Placinte Recipe comes from a Moldavian woman who shared the recipe with my mom years back. Placinte are round cheese-filled fried pastries. 

My mother has made these so many times and they’ve even got requested! There is no yeast involved so rising time is not needed. Fill this with apples, cabbage or other soft cheeses.The feta and Mozzarella filling is my favorite and if your concerned about the saltiness, I have a little tip down below in how to mellow out the salt from feta cheese. These are a favorite!

What is Placinte?

Placinte is a round flat bread that is commonly stuffed with cheese. It is typically leavened with baking soda or baking powder and contains no yeast. It is recognized in the Romanian, Ukrainian and Moldovan Culture.

What is Brinza?

My family used to call these Brinza, but after a Moldavian friend told me Brinza means Feta Cheese, that changed in how I call these now. Placinte would be the correct named for these cheese-filled cakes.

Whats the best way to re-heat placinte?

Placinte are best fresh. However, to maintain a crisp crust re-heat in a toaster oven for the best results.

How to make Feta Cheese Less Saltier:

Remove feta cheese from the brine and soak in milk for 24 hours. 

Placinta Fillings:

  • apples
  • cheese
  • cabbage
  • potatoes
  • ricotta
  • dill
  • raisins
  • Chocolate

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes

Ingredients for Placinte Recipe:

ingredients-for Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes

How to make Placinte Recipe (Moldavian Brinza):

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Then stir in the egg, buttermilk, milk and 3 tbsp of oil until dough comes together (dough should be tacky.) Knead in remaining 1/2 cup of flour until a soft dough forms.

placinta-dough step 1-3

2. Next, divide the dough into 8 balls, using a 1/2 cup measuring scoop for even shapes.

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes Step 4

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to a 9″ circle. Place 1 cup of the cheese blend in the center and fold in the edges, pinching them to the top. Gently roll out again to an 8″ circle and fry over med-low heat until golden (about 2 min on each side.)

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Step 5

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, step 6

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes step 7

how-to-roll-out-placinte- step 7

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, step 8

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes

Placinta recipe, Placinte, Brinza, Feta Cheese Recipes

Placinte Recipe (Brinza)

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 cakes
Author: Alyona's Cooking
This Placinte Recipe comes from a Moldavian woman who shared the recipe with my mom years back. Placinte are round cheese-filled fried pastries. 

Ingredients

Placinte dough:

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 cup canola oil or any oil for frying

Placinte Cheese Filling:

  • 3 cups feta cheese
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese finely shredded

Instructions

How to make Placinta:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the egg, buttermilk, milk, and 3 tbsp of oil until dough comes together. Knead in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour gradually until a soft dough forms.
  • Divide the dough into 8 balls, using a 1/2 cup measuring scoop for even shapes.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to a 9" circle. Place 1 cup of the cheese blend in the center and fold in the edges, pinching them to the top. Gently roll out again to an 8" circle and fry over med-low heat until golden (about 2 min on each side.)

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1cakeCalories: 675kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 23gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 1238mgPotassium: 274mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 555IUCalcium: 527mgIron: 3.5mg

Other European Recipes to try:

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Liz Z
Liz Z
10 months ago

These were delicious but mine were huge by the time I finished cooking them. They rose up a lot but the taste was still beautiful.
Thamk you

Olga
Olga
2 years ago

I didn’t have brinza so I made these with potatoes. They turned out so good. Just like mamas. Definitely trying them with brinza soon.

Ali
Ali
4 years ago

Hi, can I make this recipe the same way except bake them in the oven? Will they still turn out as great? If yes, should I use more oil? I’ve done this recipe before by stovetop, and I really loved them! The taste was amazing, but I want to try them in the oven this time.

Nelson Franks
Nelson Franks
4 years ago

Just wanted to say that I love Moldova. I had the pleasure of spending almost a week in Chisinau last May, and I am looking to make a return visit to explore more. Lovely country, lovely people (and really fine wine). And the placinta is amazing.

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