Terty Tvorozhny Pirog — The Quickest Grated Cottage Cheese Pie

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Welcome to a classic of Eastern European comfort baking! This Grated Cottage Cheese Pie, or Terty Tvorozhny Pirog, is a beloved dessert for its delightful contrast of textures and simple, wholesome ingredients. It features a tender, creamy filling made from tvorog (a fresh, tangy farmer's cheese) brightened with a hint of lime, all sandwiched between a buttery, crumbly crust. The unique 'grated' technique for the dough makes it incredibly easy to handle and results in a perfect shortbread-like texture. It's a wonderfully quick and satisfying treat that brings a touch of homemade warmth to any occasion.

A slice of golden-brown grated cottage cheese pie on a plate, ready to be served.

The quickest grated cottage cheese pie.

Cooking: 40 minutes
Quantity: 8 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 265 kcal
Proteins: 7 g
Fats: 14 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g

Ingredients for the Crispy Pie Crust

  • 100 g butter, frozen
  • 160 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 60 g sugar
  • 1 packet (8g) vanilla sugar

Ingredients for the Cottage Cheese Filling

  • 200 g tvorog (a type of farmer's cheese, quark can be a substitute)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 50 g full-fat smetana (a high-fat sour cream)
  • 1 lime or lemon
  • 25 g all-purpose flour or cornstarch
  • a pinch of salt

How to Make Grated Cottage Cheese Pie

A bowl with tvorog (farmer's cheese) and eggs being mixed together for the pie filling.

Mash the full-fat tvorog with large chicken eggs.

Grating lime zest into a bowl with the cottage cheese mixture.

Grate the zest on a fine grater and squeeze out the juice.

Whisking the cottage cheese filling in a bowl until it becomes a smooth liquid mass.

Whisk the liquid ingredients with a whisk or blender.


Let’s make the filling. Mash the full-fat tvorog (a type of farmer’s cheese or quark) with large eggs.

Wash the lime thoroughly with hot water, then rinse with boiling water. Grate the zest on a fine grater and squeeze out the juice. Add the lime juice, sugar, lime zest, and a pinch of fine salt to the tvorog and egg mixture.

Whisk the liquid ingredients with a whisk or a blender. A blender is preferable as it turns everything into a smooth and uniform mass. Then, add the all-purpose flour or starch (potato or corn starch will work).

The final smooth and homogeneous cottage cheese filling in a bowl, ready for the pie.

Mix everything well again to get a smooth mass without lumps of flour or cottage cheese.

Mix everything well again to get a smooth mass without any lumps of flour or tvorog.

A bowl containing the dry ingredients for the pie crust: flour, sugar, and baking powder.

Thoroughly mix the dry ingredients.

Grating a block of frozen butter into the bowl with dry ingredients using a box grater.

Grate the frozen butter on a coarse vegetable grater.

Hands rubbing grated butter into flour mixture to create a sandy, crumbly dough for the pie crust.

Quickly rub the dry ingredients with the butter using your hands to form fine crumbs.


Now, let’s make the crumble for the crust. In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sugar. Add a packet of vanilla sugar or a pinch of vanillin. Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Grate the frozen butter on a coarse vegetable grater. You can substitute margarine for butter; it’s a cheaper ingredient but works very well for baking.

Quickly rub the dry ingredients with the butter using your hands to form fine crumbs. It’s important to do this quickly so the butter doesn’t have time to warm up.

Spreading the first layer of crumble dough evenly in a round baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Take half of the crumbs, pour them into the pan, and distribute evenly over the bottom and sides.

Take a round baking pan with low sides. This recipe uses a 26 cm (about 10-inch) pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom. Take half of the crumbs, pour them into the pan, and distribute them evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Make sure the crumbs cover the edges, otherwise the filling might burn there!

Pouring the smooth cottage cheese filling over the bottom crust layer in the baking pan.

Pour the filling over the crumbs.

Sprinkling the remaining crumble mixture over the cottage cheese filling to create the top crust.

Carefully sprinkle the remaining dough on top.

The grated cottage cheese pie baking in the oven, turning golden brown.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.


Pour the filling over the crumbs. It’s liquid and will spread easily over the surface.

Carefully sprinkle the remaining dough on top. Gently level it with a spatula or knife, trying not to mix it with the filling. Then, you can mark out portions by lightly pressing down on the crumble. This should give you 8 slices.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the pan with the pie on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The exact baking time may vary slightly depending on the individual characteristics of your oven.

The fully baked grated cottage cheese pie, cooled and sliced, ready to be served.

Let the quickest cottage cheese pie cool completely in the pan and serve with tea or coffee.

Let the quickest cottage cheese pie cool completely in the pan before serving with tea or coffee.

And there you have it – a beautifully golden and fragrant Grated Cottage Cheese Pie, ready to be enjoyed! This pie is best served once it has cooled completely, allowing the filling to set perfectly. Enjoy a slice with a warm cup of tea or coffee for a truly comforting experience. For a little extra flair, you can dust it with powdered sugar or serve it with a side of fresh berries. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We hope this simple yet elegant recipe becomes a new favorite in your home!