Moldovan Vertuta with Cheese
Crispy, airy pastry with an ultra-tender cheese filling - melts in your mouth! The secret is paper-thin filo: delicate sheets that tear easily, but the result is worth it.
Updated : 14 January, 2026
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
3
Phyllo dough
100 grams
Butter
100 grams
Hard cheese
2 grams
Sesame
to taste
Pepper
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How to make Moldovan Vertuta with Cheese? Prepare all ingredients. Filo dough can be homemade or store-bought to simplify the process. For the filling, use a semi-hard cheese that melts well. You’ll also need butter, cream cheese, and sesame for topping. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge in advance so it softens.
Step 2
Thaw the frozen filo at room temperature for 2 hours, then gently unroll it and cover with a damp towel. Keep the dough covered while working so it doesn’t dry out.
Step 3
Make the cheese filling. Put the cream cheese into a bowl. Grate the semi-hard cheese on a coarse grater and add it to the cream cheese. Season with salt and ground black pepper and mix. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, depending on how salty and sharp the cheese is.
Step 4
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, without bringing it to a boil.
Step 5
Take the first sheet of filo and brush it with melted butter using a pastry brush. Slightly away from the edge, spread 1/3 of the filling along the long side. Fold the free edge over the filling and roll into a log, tucking in the sides so the filling won’t leak during baking.
Step 6
Coil the log into a spiral. Repeat with two more sheets. Place the vertutas in a baking dish, brush the tops with the remaining melted butter, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Step 7
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 356°F for 25-30 minutes. Baking time and temperature may vary depending on your oven.
Author note
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