One Cottage Cheese Base — 3 Breakfasts

Put the cottage cheese into a bowl and mash it with a fork. If it is grainy, blend it briefly. Add the eggs and salt, and mix. Add the flour and baking powder. Mix to a soft dough. Let it stand for 5–10 minutes so the flour absorbs the moisture.

For khachapuri: with damp hands, shape boats with raised edges. Grate and mix the cheese, adding an egg and herbs if you like. Put the filling into the centre of the boats. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 °C for 20–25 minutes until golden. You can add a yolk to the centre 3–5 minutes before the end if you prefer the egg more set. Otherwise add the egg once the khachapuri is done.

For vatrushki: add the sugar and vanilla to the dough. Divide into 6–8 pieces, shape round bases with damp hands and make a well in the centre — a glass is handy for this. For the filling, mix soft cottage cheese (or ricotta), yolk, sugar, vanilla and starch. Top with your favourite berries. You can also scatter flaked almonds over them. Bake at 180 °C for 20–25 minutes.

For mini pizzas: add salt, Italian herbs and garlic powder to the dough. Shape round bases — a glass is handy here too, to make a shallow well. Then spread with tomato sauce and add the toppings and cheese. If you are baking them straight away, put them into the oven at 200 degrees for 20–25 minutes.