Easter Pie with Cottage Cheese and Raisins
Baking and Desserts | Romanian cuisine
⏳ Time
2 hours
🥕 Ingredients
15
🍽️ Servings
8
Description
In some regions of southern Russia, as well as in Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine, Easter bread is referred to as 'Paska.' This Easter bread can be indistinguishable from traditional Kulich, and the similarity in name to cottage cheese Easter cake can cause some confusion. Our variation is Romanian, often referred to as Easter cheesecake. It is a kind of Kulich and Easter cake combined in one dish. In Romania, Paska is made using local soft cheese, while in other countries, this cheese is replaced with farmer's cottage cheese. Essentially, it is a large cheese pastry, but with a much more interesting flavor—thanks to vanilla, lemon zest, and raisins. Besides Easter, Paska is also baked for other religious events: Christmas, weddings, and baptisms. Paska keeps well in the refrigerator for up to five days if wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- Wheat Flour - 20 oz
- Milk - 10 fl oz
- Sugar - 5 oz
- Butter - 0 oz
- Vegetable Oil - 0 fl oz
- Chicken Egg - 3 pieces
- Vanilla Pod - 1 piece
- Dry yeast - 0 oz
- Whole egg - 2 pieces
- Lemon - 2 pieces
- Cottage cheese - 15 oz
- Raisins - 5 oz
- Semolina - 3 spoons
- Vanilla extract - 1 tablespoon
- Salt - a pinch
Step by Step guide
Step 1
Slice the vanilla pod lengthwise. Use a knife to scrape out the seeds and set them aside.
Step 2
Pour milk over the pod, bring to a boil, then let it cool.
Step 3
Combine the yeast, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of vanilla milk. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.
Step 4
Sift the flour into the mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, vanilla seeds, the zest of 1 lemon, and salt.
Step 5
Dissolve 95 grams of sugar in the remaining vanilla milk and add it to the batter.
Step 6
Combine the vegetable oil with the melted butter. Allow it to cool, then gradually add it to the dough. Only add the next portion of oil after the previous one has been fully incorporated. Knead the dough for 10 minutes; it should be soft and sticky.
Step 7
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, shape it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap or a cloth, and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
Step 8
Blend the cottage cheese with an immersion blender, then mix it with 2 eggs, semolina, raisins, 75 grams of sugar, the zest of 1 lemon, and vanilla extract.
Step 9
Grease your hands with vegetable oil and divide the dough into two portions.
Step 10
From one half, shape three sausages about 40 cm long. Braid the sausages together into a braid.
Step 11
Grease a 26 cm springform pan with butter and line it with parchment paper. Spread the remaining dough evenly across the bottom and sides of the pan. Prick the dough around the perimeter with a fork.
Step 12
Pour the filling inside. Place the braid on the dough in the baking dish.
Step 13
Brush the top of the braid with beaten egg and sprinkle with a small amount of sugar. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 355°F, until the Easter bread is well risen and golden brown.
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