Russian food. Traditions and recipes. Breakfast.

Russian food. Traditions and recipes. Breakfast.

  
        In Russian it’s usual to have meals three times a day. There is breakfast, dinner and supper.
        Neither breakfast nor its preperation usually takes much time. In Russia it’s not common to eat much for breakfast. A usual breakfast could include an omelette, sandwiches, corn flakes or something like that. But of course there are some traditional Russian dishes. For example sirniki. 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb cottage cheese (tvorog)

oil to fry

2 tbsp semolina flour

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp wheat flour

2 ea eggs

Method:

Combine all the ingredients, except flour, and knead stiff dough. Shape small balls and roll in flour. Fry in oil for 3-4 minutes every side until bright golden.

   Sirniki is made from dough containing lots of cottage cheese and fried on a pan. They are usually served with sour cream and sugar. 

   Blini and blinchiki are other common morning meals. Blini are practically the same as English pancakes. In Russia they are served with butter and sugar.

      Ingredients:

4 c buttermilk or kefir
20 tbsp flour
3 tbsp sugar
3 ea eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Method:
Today, I want to develop the topic of Bliny (pancakes) There is another kind of pancakes in Russia, called Oladyi. They are little and very thick. You can put 5-6 Oladyi on the pan. The base of batter for oladyi can be buttermilk or sour milk or kefir. Mix eggs with buttermilk (kefir or sour milk). Add soda, sugar, salt and flour and mix thoroughly. The batter must be dense but liquid, if it is not, add more flour. Drain the batter so that there are no flour lumps in it. Pour a little vegetable oil into a pan. Heat the pan. Pour 5-6 little rounds of batter on the pan. Cook until light brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Servings: 5-6.

        Blinchiki are very thin blini. Of course they are made from other dough. The thinner the blinchiki are, the tastier they are. Besides there are blinchiki with stuffing. There is a plenty of different stuffing. For example blinchiki with cottage cheese, meat, jam. If you are in Russia on Maslenica (Shrovetide, Shrove Tuesday) you can try different kinds of blinchiki because on that holiday blinchiki are considered to be the main and necessary dish. Try blinchiki with caviar - the posh variant of the course.  Russians really love caviar and serve it on many holidays. 

                                          

 Recipe No. 1  

Ingredients:
3 1/2 c All-purpose flour
3 tb Water warm 105F degrees
1 1/2 pk Yeast dry
3 3/4 c Milk warm 105-F degrees
1 tb Sugar
1/2 c Heavy cream
                                           1 ea Egg white
                                           2 ea Egg yolks
                                           1 ts Salt
                                           4 tb Butter unsalted melted & cooled until just warm 

Method:
Take 1 tablespoon of the flour, the warm water, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the yeast and mix together in a small bowl. Cover and set in a warm place for 15 minutes. Mix in a large bowl the the 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, flour, milk, the yeast mixture and salt. Beat by hand for 4 minutes. Cover and set in a warm place for 1 hour. Mix the egg yolks and remaining sugar and add to the natter along with the butter and beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or by hand for 8 minutes. Whip the egg white separately and whip the cream as well until very stiff. Fold in the cream then the egg white making sure to mix well. Cover again and place in a warm place for 45 minutes. grease the skillet with butter, place 2 tablespoons of batter in the center of the skillet, (at this point you may add any of the flavor garnishes that you wish or none at all) cook for 1 minute, turn the blin over, and cook for 35 seconds, and serve smothered in sweet butter.

     Recipe No. 2 

Ingredients:
Pancakes:
1 1/2 cups flour 
1 1/2 cups milk 
1/4 teaspoon of sugar 
1/4 oz. yeast 
1 tablespoon of butter or oil 
1 egg 
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Meat Stuffing:
3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or 1/2 lbs. boiled or roast beef 
1 average sized yellow onion 
1/2 tablespoon soy-sauce 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon dried dill 
1/4 teaspoon curry powder 
Salt according to taste

Method:
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of warm milk (110-115 F) and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Let sit till "bulbs" appear (usually 10-15 minutes but sometimes takes longer). Add more warm milk to make 1 cup and gradually mix in 3/4 cup of flour. Wrap up in a towel and put in a warm place to rise. DO NOT COVER THE MIXING BOWL WITH A LID. Make sure the mixing bowl is big enough because the dough will increase 2-3 times. After the dough rises add the rest of the milk and flour, salt, egg, and tablespoon of butter or oil. Wrap up in a towel and let rise for a second time. Check occasionally. Depending on the quality of yeat and milk, the dough may take 1-3 hours to rise. Preheat the frying pan at medium to high setting. Brush the pan with oil lightly. Too much oil on the frying pan may ruin the first pancake. Immediately after removing a pancake from the pan, put it on a warm platter or pan, brush the upper side with oil and cover with a lid. The inside of the lid should be wrapped in a gauze, any moisture absorbent cloth or towel. It will accumulate excess moisture from the pancakes. Note: covering with the lid and brushing the pancakes with oil will make them more elastic, soft and easier to stuff. Bake, roast or fry chicken or beef. When ready, chop finely (the smaller the better). Chop onion finely. Saute in oil. Add chopped meat and spices. Keep warm for stuffing. To serve, fry in a oiled pan until hot and light golden.

      But let’s go back to breakfast. Kasha (porridge) is another traditional dish for breakfast in Russia. You will find it on the table more often than sirniki or blinchiki because it’s much simpler to prepare. Not only porridge is popular but also cereal made from other different grains. Usually breakfast is accompanied with a cup of  tea. 

Ingredients:
2 c buckwheat
3 c water
4 oz veal liver
3 tbsp fat
2 ea eggs hard boiled
salt

Method:
Boil buckwheat in water until it is crumbly. Fry buckwheat kasha in fat for 7-10 mins. Boil liver in salted water for 15 minutes, chop finely and fry in fat. Chop eggs finely. Add eggs, liver to buckwheat and fry in the pan for a while. Serve with broth.

TO BE CONTINUED....

Reference materials

Some parts of the world have not yet adopted the European decimal system. Instead, they still use old British  measurements. As most of our recipes are not given in both, here are some conversions between standard weights, volumes, and temperatures. Unfortunately, US recipes often use volume measurements where Europeans would use weight, and vice versa. The non-European weights and volumes are given in US units, not "British Imperial".

Temperatures:

          Quick-and-dirty for baking temperatures: °F = 2 x °C and °C =  °C ÷ 2

          325 °F = 160 °C

          375 °F = 190 °C

          425 °F = 220 °C

For the more scientifically inclined:

          Convert °C to °F:      {[°C ÷ 5] x 9} + 32

          Example: 100 °C = {[100÷ 5] x 9}+32 = 212 °F

          Convert °F to °C:      {[°F - 32] ÷ 9} x 5

          Example: 212 °F = {[212 - 32] ÷ 9} x 5 = 100 °C

Weights & Volumes:

          1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt) = 4 cups (c) = 32 fluid ounces (fl oz)

          1 pound (lb, #) = 16 ounces (oz)

          1 teaspoon  (tsp, t)        =      5 ml

          1 tablespoon (tbsp, T)        =    15 ml

          1 fluid ounce = 2 tbsp      =     30 ml

          1 cup                      =   240 ml (± ¼ liter)

          1 pint                     =   475 ml (± ½ liter)

          1 quart                     =   950 ml (± 1 liter)

          1 gallon                     =   3.8 liter

          1 ounce                    =    28 gram

          1 pound                     = 450 gram (± ½ kg)

Life is soooo much simpler with the decimal system:

          1 liter (l) = 10 deciliter (dl) = 100 centiliter (cl) = 1000 milliliter (ml)

          1 kilogram = 1000 gram

Note: a European tablespoon is a tablespoon like most people would use at the dinner table, not some standard measure that does

not relate to spoons.

Note: there is a significant difference between teaspoons and coffee spoons. The latter being smaller.

Weights & volumes of some standard ingredients:

          1 cup of milk                 =    240 ml

          1 cup of flour                =   125 grams

          1 cup of raisins              =   150 grams

          1 cup of chopped nuts          =   125 grams

          1 cup of chopped ginger =         150 grams

          1 cup of chopped apples =                 90 grams 

           1 cup of grated cheese             =     150 grams

poons and coffee spoons. The latter being smaller.

Weights & volumes of some standard ingredients:

          1 cup of milk                 =    240 ml

          1 cup of flour                =   125 grams

          1 cup of raisins              =   150 grams

          1 cup of chopped nuts          =   125 grams

          1 cup of chopped ginger =         150 grams

          1 cup of chopped apples =                 90 grams