a day in the life of a latvian mom

I walked into greenhouse… and I had to pick the nettle! They were growing everywhere.

I tried something a little different today—hand pies filled with nettles, fetaki cheese, and quark.

It started with a simple idea: I had nettles, I had pastry, and I wanted something warm and comforting. The kind of food that feels a bit homemade in the best way—imperfect, but real.

I mixed the chopped nettles with fetaki and quark (cause I have them at home), which made a soft, creamy filling with that fresh green taste. Then I spooned it onto squares of puff pastry, folded them into triangles, and pressed the edges with a fork. Nothing fancy.

A quick egg wash on top… and into the oven they went.

They came out beautifully golden. Some of them cracked a little and let the green filling peek through—but honestly, that made them even nicer. You can see what’s inside. No pretending.

The taste? Really good! The nettles mellow out when baked, and the cheese gives it that salty, creamy balance. It’s simple food, but satisfying. And since I made what I would like – I love it!

I like these kinds of kitchen moments. No big plan, just using what’s there and seeing what happens.

I’ll definitely make these again. Will share the recipe soon (I hope)! Are you interested in having such recipe?

Ilze