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
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a day in the life of a latvian mom 
Wish I could reach into the screen and try:) ! Love anything I call ‘pirukas’ but must admit haven’t tried any mixes with nettless! I am certain these did not last long !
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Haha, yes—they really didn’t last long 🙂 Fresh out of the oven, they disappeared quickly.
Pirukas—in Latvian we call them Pīrāgi 🙂
Have you ever tried adding wild greens to your fillings, or do you usually keep them more traditional?
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Well I never did! those look lovely.
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Thank you 🙂 They were such a simple little experiment, but turned out better than I expected.
It’s one of those recipes that doesn’t need much planning.
Do you enjoy trying new combinations like this, or do you prefer sticking to familiar ones?
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Well presented. They do look really good
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Very well presented. These look really good
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Thank you 🙂 I think puff pastry does half the work—it makes everything look better than it is.
But I like when food looks a bit imperfect too—it feels more real.
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That looks yummy, Ilze! Nettle is a plant here that has tons of tiny spikes on it that make your skin burn and sting really bad. I got tangled in it when I was a kid. First and last time!
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Yes—that’s exactly the plant! 🙂 It definitely has a “personality” if you touch it raw.
I was careful while picking… gloves help a lot 😄 And once it’s blanched (cooked), the sting disappears completely.
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Wow, I can still remember the sting!
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They look delicious!
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Thank you so much 🙂
Would you be curious to try something like this with nettles, or maybe with a different filling?
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