Ingredients

(for 30 biscuits)
250g flour
1 pinch of salt
1 egg
150g sugar
150g butter

            Butterbredla,

a French recipe from Alsace

Preparation

1. In a bowl, pour the flour.
2. Add the egg, the sugar and the pinch of salt.
3. Mix.
4. Add the butter.
5. Mix again.
6. Roll the dough.
7. Cut shapes in the dough.
8. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven at 180°C.

Recipe ingredients for the Vasilopita

125 g. white almonds

125g. hazelnuts

250 g. cow's butter melted +extra for the pan

250 g. icing sugar +extra for sprinkling

200 g. liqueur or cognac

6 large eggs

250g. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder 

Execution of the recipe for Vasilopita

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grind the almonds with the hazelnuts and some of the powdered sugar in the blender until they become powder. Empty them into the mixer bowl and add the butter and the remaining powdered sugar. Beat them with a whisk until they become very fluffy and become a white cream. Beat again, gradually adding the eggs. Once the ingredients are mixed, stop the mixer. In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and add them little by little to the mixture while stirring with a flexible spatula ( marise ), until they are incorporated.

Butter and flour a round baking pan and pour the mixture into it. Bake for 1 hour. Let it cool well before unmolding. Finally, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

    Melomakarona

Ingredients for Melomakarona

500 grams of water 800 grams of granulated sugar , 150 grams of honey, 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, 1 orange cut in half

Mixture 1

400 grams of orange juice, 400 grams of seed oil, 180 grams of olive oil, 50 grams of powdered sugar, 1/2 kilogram of grated cloves, 2 to 3 kilograms of cinnamon, 1/4 kilogram of grated nutmeg, 1 kilogram of soda, orange zest

Mixture 2

1 kilo of all-purpose flour, 200 grams of fine semolina.

For serving

Honey and Walnuts

                           Implementation:

Place a saucepan on the fire, add all the ingredients except the honey and let it boil. 

Remove from the heat and add the honey. Mix and let the syrup cool. 

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Pour all the ingredients of mixture 1 into a bowl and mix. In a second bowl, mix the ingredients of mixture 2.

Add the mixture with the liquids to the mixture with the solids and mix very gently with your hands for a very short time so that the mixture does not break.

Shape the honey macarons into a uniform shape and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. As soon as they are ready, pour the hot honey macaroons into the cold syrup and leave for 10 - 15 seconds. Strain and sprinkle with honey and walnuts.

Ingredients for the base:

600 g of 00 flour

180 g sugar

200 g of lard (or butter)

2 eggs

100-120ml of milk

1 pinch of salt

1 tablespoon of honey

Ingredients for the stuffing:

500 g of dried figs

50 g of almonds

50 g of pistachios

50 g of hazelnuts

50 g of raisins

50 g of dark chocolate chips

50 g candied pumpkin (to decorate)

Zest of 1 orange, Zest of 1 mandarin

1 tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ glass of Marsala

BUCCELLATO

Preparation Basic: Mix the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the eggs, honey and lard. Then add the milk a little at a time, just enough to bind everything and obtain a firm and homogeneous mixture. Create a ball, wrap it in transparent film and let it rest in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.

Stuffed: Now prepare the filling: chop the dried figs and put them in a saucepan together with the Marsala wine. Let them rest inside to revive them. Chop all the dried fruit. Soak the raisins in warm water for at least 20 minutes. Grate the citrus zest. Combine all the ingredients for the filling - except the honey - in a bowl and mix well.

Cake assembly: Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out into a long thin strip. Pour the filling into the centre. Roll up the dough to form a tube and rejoin the ends to obtain a ring. Make cuts on the surface to obtain uniform cracks. Transfer the buccellato to the oven and cook it at 180°C for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Melt the honey kept aside and brush it over the cake. Decorate with candied cherries as desired.

FRIPTURĂ DE PORC CU MĂMĂLIGĂ ȘI BRÂNZĂ

Ingredients:

For the pork roast (friptură):

    •    1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork (preferably shoulder or leg, with some fat)

    •    4–5 cloves of garlic, sliced

    •    2 tablespoons sunflower oil 

    •    1 teaspoon paprika

    •    1 teaspoon dried thyme

    •    1 teaspoon black pepper

    •    1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

    •    150 ml (2/3 cup) dry white wine or water

    •    1–2 bay leaves

For the mămăliga:

    •    1 liter (4 cups) water

    •    300 g (1 1/2 cups) coarse cornmeal

    •    1 teaspoon salt

    •    1 tablespoon butter or lard (optional, for a richer texture)

For serving:

    •    200 g (1 cup) grated brined cheese (such as feta or Moldovan brânză de oi)

    •    2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)

       Enjoy this  Moldovan dish -

Friptură de Porc cu Mămăligă și Brânză!

                                                        INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare the pork roast (friptură):

    1.    Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

    2.    Cut small slits into the pork and insert slices of garlic.

    3.    In a bowl, mix the oil, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper, then rub this mixture all over the pork.

    4.    Place the pork in a roasting pan and add the bay leaves and wine (or water). Cover the pan with foil or a lid to keep the meat moist.

    5.    Roast the pork for about 1.5–2 hours, basting it occasionally with its own juices. Remove the foil for the last 20–30 minutes to let the meat brown and develop a crust.

    6.    Once cooked, let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

2. Make the Mămăliga:

    1.    Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, then add the salt.

    2.    Gradually sprinkle in the cornmeal while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps.

    3.    Lower the heat and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until the mămăliga thickens and starts pulling away from the pot.

    4.    For a traditional touch, flip the mămăliga onto a wooden board and slice it with a string or knife.

3. Assemble & Serve:

    1.    Slice the pork roast and place a piece or two on each plate. Add a generous slice or portion of mămăliga.  Sprinkle the grated cheese over the mămăliga and serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Pair with pickles, a fresh salad, or sautéed cabbage for a complete traditional meal.

Red borscht 

with dumplings

Soup ingredients

Beetroot – 4 large,

Water – about 2 liters,

Garlic – 2 cloves,

Bay leaf – 2 pieces,

Polish herb – 5 grains,

Marjoram – 1 teaspoon,

Salt, pepper – to taste,

Ingredients for dumplings

300 g wheat flour

200 ml boiling water

30 g butter or oil

40 g mushrooms

1 onion

Preparation of the soup

Peel the beets and grate them on a coarse grater or cut them into thin strips.

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, add the beets, garlic, bay leaf and allspice.

Simmer for about 1.5-2 hours to extract as much flavour and colour from the beets as possible.

After cooking, strain the borscht through a fine sieve.

Bring the borscht to a boil again, add the marjoram, season with salt and pepper.

Preparation of the dumplings

Sift the flour, add a pinch of salt, gradually add water, kneading the elastic dough.

Roll out the dough into a thin cake and cut out small squares.

Put a small amount of filling on each square of dough.

Fold the dough in half, forming triangles, then stick the ends together, creating the characteristic dumpling shape.

Boil the dumplings in lightly salted water for about 3-5 minutes, until they float to the surface. Once cooked, they can be added directly to the hot Christmas Eve borscht.

ROMANIAN SPONGE CAKE