Scarlett WPaskha
August 22nd 2006 09:18
Paskha
About Paskha
Paskha is the Russian word for Easter and the name given to this rich curd cheese and candied fruit dessert, which celebrates the end of Lent. Traditionally, it is made in a pyramid-shaped wooden mould with the imprint of the Orthodox cross, but a clean, plastic flowerpot works equally well.
About Angelica
Angelica is largely used in the grocery trade, as well as for medicine, and is a popular flavouring for confectionery and liqueurs. The appreciation of its unique flavour was established in ancient times when saccharin matter was extremely rare. The use of the sweetmeat may probably have originated from the belief that the plant possessed the power of averting or expelling pestilence.
Culinary uses of Angelica are:
chopped leaves may be added to fruit salads, fish dishes and cottage cheese in small amounts.
Add leaves to sour fruit such as rhubarb to neutralize acidity.
Boil the stems with jams to improve the flavor. Remove the stems before canning or freezing.
Young stems can be used as a substitute for celery.
About Curd Cheese
A fresh cheese made from whole, part-skimmed or skimmed pastrurized cow’s milk, “Sweet curd” cottage cheese – by far the most popular – has a rather mild flavour because the curds are washed to remove most of the cheese’s natural acidity. The texture of cottage cheese is usually quite moist. If the curds are allowed to drain longer, pot cheese is formed; longer yet and the firm farmer’s cheese is created. Cottage cheese comes in three forms: small-curd, medium-curd and large-curd (sometimes called “popcorn” cottage cheese), Creamed cottage cheese has had 4-8% cream addedto it, lowfat cottage cheese has from 1-2% fat, and nonfat cottage cheese has, of course, zero fat. Store cottage cheese in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 10 days past the stamped date.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6-8
115 gm / 4 oz / ½ cup candied fruit, chopped
50 gm / scant ½ cup raisins
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
5 ml / 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
675 gm / 3 cups curd cheese
25 gm / 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
150 ml soured cream
50 gm / ¼ cup caster sugar
50 gm / ¼ cup clear honey
50 gm blanched almonds, chopped
candied fruits, lemon rind, angelica and honey, to decorate
1. Put the candied fruit, raisins, lemon rind and juice and vanilla essence in a small bowl. Stir, then cover and leave to soak for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, line a 1.5 litre/2½ pint/6¼ cup plastic flowerpot with a double layer of muslin, allowing the edges to overhang the pot.
3. Put the cheese, butter and soured cream in a mixing bowl and beat until well blended. Add the sugar, honey, blanched almonds and soaked fruits and mix well.
4. Spoon the mixture into the lined flowerpot and fold the edges of the muslin into the fold the middle. Cover with a small plate or saucer that just fits inside the flowerpot, then top with a 450gm/1lb weight. Stand the flowerpot on a plate and refrigerate overnight.
5. Unfold the muslin, turn the paskha out on a plate, then remove the muslin.
6. Before serving, decorate with lemon rind, candied fruit and angelica, and drizzle with honey.
Tips:
If preferred, drain the mixture for 1 hour in a muslin-lined sieve, before spooning into the lined pudding basin.
**From “The Practical Encyclopedia of East European Cooking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**
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