Cottage Cheese Dough:
- 1 container (8 ounces) creamed cottage cheese
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups flour
Walnut Filling:
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup walnuts, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 large egg yolk
Prepare cottage cheese dough in food processor with knife blade attached. Blend cottage cheese, butter, and flour just until combined and dough begins to come away from the side of the bowl. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces and flatten each into a disk. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare walnut filling. In medium bowl, combine brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line large cookie sheet with foil; grease foil. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll 1 piece of dough into 12 inch round. Brush dough with some melted butter. Spread dough with one third filling; gently press onto dough. With pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut dough into 16 equal wedges. Starting at curved edge, roll up each wedge, jelly-roll fashion. Place rugelach on cookie sheet, point side down, about ½ inch apart.
In cup beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; use to brush top of each rugelach. Bake rugelach 20 to 22 minutes, until golden. Immediately remove rugelach to wire rack to cool.
Repeat with remaining dough, melted butter, filling, and yolk mixture. Store rugelach in tightly covered container up to 1 week. Makes 4 dozen.