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Bulz — baked cornmeal balls with sheep's milk cheese
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/main-dishes/bulz-baked-cornmeal-balls-with-sheeps-milk-cheese
About this recipe
Bulz are Romanian balls of thick cooked cornmeal, filled with aromatic sheep's milk cheese and baked until golden. Beneath a thin, lightly crisp surface they stay soft, while the heated brânză de burduf makes a creamy, flavorful center. First cook the cornmeal thoroughly, then let it cool enough to shape comfortably. Sealing the filling well helps keep the cheese inside. A little butter gives the tops a golden color. These ingredients make eight balls, two per serving; they taste best still hot, after a short rest.
Ingredients
Cornmeal and filling
300 g dry fine cornmeal for mămăligă (mălai), regular, not instant and not corn flour
900 ml water for cooking, plus a little for wetting your hands
250 g sheep's milk brânză de burduf cheese, weighed without its casing; choose a sheep's milk product that is firm and can be crumbled or mashed
40 g unsalted butter with 82% fat — 10 g for the baking dish and 30 g for the tops of the balls
4 g fine salt for the cornmeal
Steps
Bring 900 ml water and the salt to a boil in a heavy pot. Pour in the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking vigorously so that no lumps form. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, especially along the bottom. The grains should be completely soft, without hard bits, and the mixture very thick: it should pull away from the sides and briefly hold the furrow left by the spoon. If the package calls for longer cooking, finish that cooking before shaping.
Transfer the cooked cornmeal to a wide board or large plate, spread it with a spoon into a layer about 2 cm thick, and leave for 10–15 minutes. It should stay warm and pliable but not burn your hands; if it is still too hot, wait longer. Do not wait until it cools completely and hardens. Meanwhile, crumble or mash the cheese and divide it into eight equal portions. Preheat the oven to 200°C, conventional heat. Grease a baking dish about 30 × 20 cm with 10 g butter.
Divide all the cooked cornmeal into eight equal portions. Lightly wet your hands with water; the water is only so the mixture does not stick. Flatten one portion in your palm into a disc about 1 cm thick, place one portion of cheese in the center, and lift the edges over the filling. Join them firmly, covering all the cheese, then gently roll between your hands into a compact ball. Smooth any cracks; the filling should not show through the surface. Use the remaining cornmeal and cheese the same way.
AI-generated Place the balls seam-side down in the prepared dish, leaving small gaps. Divide the remaining 30 g butter into eight pieces and put one on each ball. Bake on the middle rack for about 30–35 minutes, until the surface is firm and golden in places and the filling is heated through. Do not expect a dark bread-like crust, and do not let them scorch. If a little cheese leaks out, leave it in the dish and serve it with the balls.
Remove the dish and wait about 5 minutes so the surface of the balls can firm up a little. Transfer with a wide spatula, two balls per serving. Share out the butter from the bottom and any cheese that has leaked out too. Serve hot; the center should be soft and creamy when cut open. The filling may be very hot. This version includes only the balls with cheese and butter, without extra meat, eggs, or sour cream.
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