Ossetian pie is a dish with a thousand-year history. But over a long period of time, it has not lost its value and relevance. Thin dough, abundant filling, unique taste - to this day the Ossetian pie is considered the standard of quality. If you can't wait to cook it, go for it! This is not so difficult to do.
A bit of history
The dish has its roots in the distant past, even to the ancient nomads. Nomads are busy people. They had no time to bake pies every day. Therefore, they did it only on special occasions. And they put their whole soul into the occupation. Treats were made from those products that were not difficult to get in the harsh Caucasian climate - wild herbs, cereals, cheese and meat. The nomadic people did not suspect the existence of yeast, so the "great-grandfather" of the modern pie was an ordinary unleavened cake.
Now, as well as in antiquity, modern Ossetians attach special importance to the preparation of this dish. The cake is symbolically baked in 2 forms - round and triangular. The circle is considered by them a symbol of the earth, and the triangle implies its integral component - fertility. Thus, eating ruddy cakes, the locals praise the land, hoping for a bountiful and rich harvest. At festive ceremonies, both types of food are always served, superimposed on each other.
Pie with cheese has always been considered the king among its brethren and was especially tenderly and tenderly loved. And to make it more satisfying, you can add potatoes to it during cooking. Then you can feed a large family with it alone.
Ossetian pie recipe step by step
Despite the fact that time does not stand still, the tradition of baking the Ossetian pie has not undergone major metamorphoses. If you want to get a little closer to the history, give up rolling pins and crumbs, cook the pie only with your hands. In order for the dough to be born you will need:
- 500 g wheat flour;
- half a liter of milk;
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- a teaspoon of salt;
- a tablespoon of sugar;
- 50 g of vegetable oil.
- Filling:
- 1 kg of potatoes;
- half a kilogram of suluguni;
- 60 g of butter + 100 grams of the same for surface lubrication.
It will take you about two and a half hours to cook. The ingredients are sized for three medium cakes.
1. First, take a convenient saucepan and sift the flour into it. Then add yeast, sugar, salt and milk. Knead the dough from the mixture. Then melt the butter in a water bath and add it to the base. The dough will be dense and will stick to your hands. Cover it with a lid and let it sit for an hour. During this time, it will grow significantly. And if it doesn't, give him an extra half hour to rehabilitate. While the dough is resting, proceed to preparing the filling.
2. Rinse the potatoes well, peel and boil. Then crush it until puree, remembering to drain the water first. Add butter to it. If you use unleavened cheese, then at this stage you need to salt the potatoes. Now let it cool, and in the meantime, grate the cheese on a medium grater. Then mix both components thoroughly and mold 3 balls from the resulting mass.
3. While you were doing these manipulations, the dough "came up". Saturate it with oxygen, kneading it vigorously in a circular motion. Then divide into three equal parts. Leave two lumps aside for a while, and place one piece on a floured board.
4. Knead the dough until it is firm. When you feel that the working material is stronger, roll it with your hands into a cake. The most convenient way to do this is on a round board.
5. Then place the filling in the middle and wrap it in the dough. Do this according to the principle of making dumplings. Pinch gently around the edges so that the seam adheres well. Then masterfully, like a magician, turn the ball into a cake. Gently flatten it and stretch from center to edge. Take your time, do everything carefully so that the dough does not break and the filling does not fall out.
6. Now transfer the cake to a floured baking dish and place it in the oven at 200 degrees. Be sure to make a small hole in the middle so that the cake does not break during cooking.
7. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown.
8. When the pie becomes appetizing golden brown, take it out and grease on both sides with butter.
Applause in your honor! The first is ready! Bake the other 2 using the same principle and invite your household to the table! They will definitely like a hearty tasty pie.
Ossetian pie with cheese and potatoes in a slow cooker
If a multicooker lives in the kitchen, then you can safely move away from the usual canons and try to cook a pie in it. The only condition is that its power must be at least 860 watts. And it is desirable to have a bowl rather deep - at least 5 liters. So, if you are ready for a daring home experiment - get started. First, get the following foods.
Dough:
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 100 ml of milk;
- 1 egg;
- 100 ml of kefir;
- 1 tablespoon sour cream;
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups of flour;
- half a teaspoon of sugar;
- salt to taste.
Filling:
- 200 grams of suluguni;
- half a kilo of potatoes.
1. Take a deep bowl and pour the warmed milk into it. Add sugar, salt to the container and stir. When all the ingredients are dissolved, add yeast and one and a half cups of flour there. Imagine that you are a shaker and beat everything thoroughly with a spoon. When the resulting mass begins to resemble dough, put it in a warm place.
2. In the meantime, melt the butter in a water bath, cool and pour into a small bowl. Add kefir, egg and sour cream there and mix everything. It looks like a sour cream. Preheat it in the microwave and add it to the workpiece along with the rest of the flour.
3. Knead the dough a little more, letting it "breathe" and return it back to the warmth "get to mind". In total, the dough should be infused for an hour and a half.
4. And while it is resting, start preparing the filling. It is prepared according to the same principle as in the first recipe. Peeled boiled potatoes are mixed with cheese and formed into a ball. If you want fresh notes, you can add some chopped greens to the filling. Parsley, dill, cilantro - choose what you like best. The greens will add a stunning aroma to the culinary masterpiece.
5. Further - according to the rehearsed script. "Hide" the potato-cheese lump in the rolled dough, pinch it as if you were closing it with a lock. And flatten it gently so that the shape looks like a pie. This is best done with undulating movements, trying to evenly distribute it from the center along the edges. Remember to punch a small hole in the middle.
6. Put the pie in the multicooker bowl, select the "Bake" mode and cook for half an hour.
7. Already traditionally, after the allotted time, take out the food and grease with plenty of oil on both sides.
Set the table, invite guests, and get ready to receive accolades for your meal!
What to serve with?
It is best to eat Ossetian pies with drinks. The fact is that by themselves they are very satisfying. They have a high energy value. Sour cream or sauce will be superfluous. Therefore, just serve fragrant tea, ayran, kefir, yogurt, compote or tomato juice with baked goods. And indulge in gastronomic delight!
