Ossetian pies have been known for over a thousand years. Mentions about them can be found in the Nart legends, which were created by the North Caucasian peoples even before our era.
Instructions
Step 1
The traditional Ossetian pie is a thin, stuffed flatbread. It is by the woman's skill to bake pies in Ossetia that they judge her homeliness and hospitality. The main difference between Ossetian pies and all others is a thin layer of soft dough. Thick dough is considered a sign of the hostess's inexperience. A Caucasian omen says that a hostess must bake 300 pies before becoming a real craftswoman. In the oldest recipes, the dough for Ossetian pies was made only from flour, water, yeast and salt. For more than a thousand years of its existence, the recipe has undergone significant changes. Every modern Ossetian housewife has her own secret in the preparation of tender and soft dough. It is kneaded in milk, whey, kefir or water.
Step 2
Ossetian pies most often have a round shape, with a diameter of 30-40 cm and a thickness of 1.5-2 cm. Each pie is cut into 8 triangular pieces. There must be 3 pies on the table, which are stacked on top of each other. During crowded holiday feasts, plates of pies can be many, but each should contain three pies. They symbolize the Sun, God and the Earth. Only at the commemoration a dish with two pies is served, the one that stands for the Sun is missing. This shows that the sun will no longer shine over the deceased.
Step 3
Cooking Ossetian pies requires perseverance and endless patience. The finished dough is divided into three equal parts. From each part, you need to form a ball the size of a large fist, and then roll it into a cake. Everything is done by hand; Ossetian women do not use rolling pins to make these pies. In the center of the cake, generously spread the filling, retreating from its edges 3-4 cm. The edges are raised up, collecting the cake in a "bun", and carefully pinched. Then an almost jewelry work begins - the cake is gently kneaded with your fingers, evenly distributing the filling inside the cake. Spread the cake "seam" down on a baking sheet and smooth the surface with palms on the other side, making sure that the thickness of the cake is the same over the entire area.
Step 4
The fillings for the Ossetian pie can be very different. Main types:
- walibah - a pie with Ossetian cheese, similar to khachapuri;
- kabuskagin - a pie with cheese and cabbage, the most dietary;
- fiddzhin - a pie with minced meat, the most satisfying;
- tsakharajin - a pie with beet tops and cheese, the most original;
- nasjin - pumpkin pie, the brightest;
- baljin - sweet cherry pie.
