Pressed dry cottage cheese. © CooksInfo / 2011
Pressed dry cottage cheese (aka dry-curd cottage cheese) is a soft, crumbly unripened cheese with white, dry curds. It is made from skim milk that is curdled with an acid or rennet.
Other cottage cheese has milk added to it after the curd has been formed; dry curd doesn’t, so its moisture content will be a maximum of 80%.
It is sold in plastic bags or tubs. It can be very hard to find.
It is one of several different types of Pressed Cottage Cheese.
Cooking Tips
Mostly used as an ingredient in cooking, particularly German, vegetarian and low-fat cooking.
Substitutes
Ricotta, another type of pressed cottage cheese, or a dryer version of Quark Cheese
Nutrition
Low in lactose. Most brands contain no added salt, though they’ll likely have minimal traces of sodium.
Note that nutritional value may vary slightly from time to time even with the same manufacturer.
Per 55 g (¼ cup) Western Dairy brand: Calories 50, Fat .4 g of which Saturated .2 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Carbohydrate 2 g of which Sugars 1 g, Protein 11 g
Storage Hints
Pressed cottage cheeses such as pressed dry cottage cheese freeze well, unlike other cottage cheese. After freezing, the consistency of the curd will be lighter and a bit drier. After thawing, use for cooking.
Language Notes
Pressed cry cottage cheese is called, in some regions, Dry-Curd Cottage Cheese, Dry Curd Farmer Cheese, Farmer’s Cheese, or Baker’s Cheese. The term “Farmer’s Cheese”, though, can be confusing, as it’s used to describe many different cheeses in many different places.
Pressed dry cottage cheese package. © CooksInfo / 2011