Pies and cakes

Dressing, open-fire bagels, sweet cornbread, and savory cheese pie, by aunt Nuța

Recipe collected from
Pâncești

Summer blends into autumn, and the sun still plays merrily, even though it’s perched high in the sky. After the first frost of the year, captivated by landscapes that seem like they are taken from fairy tales with silver forests, we arrive in the Pâncești Commune. We’ve heard from several reliable sources that they cook divine dishes here. Aunt Nuța awaits us at the threshold, in a yard guarded by 24 poplar trees like sentinels – silhouettes that have been standing there since the days when stories began with “once upon a time.” At her feet, bravely, a spotted cat, who answers to the name Persanul, looks at us with slight skepticism but welcomes the guests. Today, Aunt Nuța will prepare a feast for us along with the village ladies: a dressing, bagels baked over an open fire, sweet cornbread, and savory cheese pie. We are in for a treat!

 

A roaring fire outside, in the yard, welcomes us to roll up our sleeves and put life into motion. Aunt Nuța, along with the skilled hands of the village ladies, precisely cuts vegetables, creating a mathematical composition of onions, carrots, bell peppers, and celeriac. When the vegetables are ready to dance in the cauldron, they are added to the pot, where they are accompanied by diced potatoes. The mixture simmers with spices, salt, pepper, and the broth are allowed to infuse with flavors. Near the end, two large clay pots are used. This means that the milk, along with the cream on top, is thoroughly mixed. This mixture is gently incorporated into the hot soup and brought to a consistent temperature to avoid curdling. After this meticulous operation is complete, the mixture is brought to a boil to merge all the flavors from both sides. The dramatic ending occurs with finely chopped greens, sprinkled gently into the cauldron.

 

On the other side of the yard, the ladies have already formed the bagels and are preparing to bake them. The temperature is tested with a handful of flour, which, if it turns black, means that the heat is too high. Another method is to try the temperature by quickly placing a hand above the oven. If the hand gets scorched, it’s too hot. After a while, the bagels are placed in the oven at the right temperature and are baked for about 20 minutes.

 

For dessert, we ventured into the market area of the village. Pâncești is closer to Roman than Iași, and we sampled sweet cornbread and a delicious savory cheese pie. Childhood memories often include dishes lovingly prepared by grandparents. Yes, we can affirm that in Pâncești, no matter how far from home we are, after a large bowl of dressing, our grandparents always seem to be with us. Enjoy your meal!

 

Ingredients:

– 1 kg new potatoes or regular potatoes

– 1 onion

– 2 carrots

– 1 celeriac

– 1 parsnip

– 2 bell peppers

– 1 cup of oil

– 1 jug of clotted milk

– Fresh parsley/dill

– Salt/pepper

 

Preparation:

 

  1. In a large pot, gently sauté, then stew in water, finely chopped onions, carrots, celeriac, parsnip, and bell pepper, all diced. Pour in enough water to cover them well, and when they begin to boil, add the cubed potatoes. Typically, this soup is prepared with new potatoes, but regular potatoes work just as well.

 

  1. Once the potatoes have boiled, add the clotted milk, but not before mixing it in a bowl with a ladle of warm broth to prevent curdling. Allow everything to simmer over medium heat until it boils a few times. Then, season to taste and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

 

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