Easter pie with cottage cheese and raisins
8 servings
120 minutes
Paska is the name given to Easter bread in some regions of southern Russia, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. Moreover, paska can be indistinguishable from traditional kulich, and the similarity of the name with curd paska can cause confusion . Our variation is Romanian, it is also called Easter cheesecake. A kind of kulich and paska in one dish. In Romania, paska is made from local soft feta cheese, and in other countries, this feta cheese is replaced with farmer's cottage cheese. In fact, it is a large cheesecake , only much more interesting in taste - thanks to vanilla, lemon zest and raisins. In addition to Easter, paska is also baked for other religious events: Christmas, weddings, christenings. Paska keeps well in the refrigerator for up to five days if you wrap it in film or place it in an airtight container.
1
Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise. Use a knife to remove the seeds and set them aside.
- Vanilla pod: 1 piece
2
Pour milk over the pod, bring to a boil, and cool.
- Milk: 270 ml
3
Mix the yeast, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of vanilla milk. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.
- Dry yeast: 11 g
- Wheat flour: 500 g
- Sugar: 195 g
- Milk: 270 ml
4
Sift the flour into the mixer bowl. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, vanilla seeds, zest of 1 lemon, and salt.
- Wheat flour: 500 g
- Dry yeast: 11 g
- Egg yolk: 2 pieces
- Vanilla pod: 1 piece
- Lemon: 2 pieces
- Salt: pinch
5
Dissolve 95 grams of sugar in the remaining vanilla milk and add to the dough.
- Sugar: 195 g
- Milk: 270 ml
6
Mix vegetable oil with melted butter. Cool it down, and add gradually to the dough. Add the next portion of oil only after the previous one is mixed in. Knead the dough for 10 minutes; it should be soft and sticky.
- Vegetable oil: 50 ml
- Butter: 50 g
7
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, shape it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let it sit in a warm place for 1 hour.
8
Blend the cottage cheese with an immersion blender, mix with 2 eggs, semolina, raisins, 75 grams of sugar, zest of 1 lemon, and vanilla extract.
- Cottage cheese: 400 g
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Semolina: 3 tablespoons
- Raisin: 100 g
- Sugar: 195 g
- Lemon: 2 pieces
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
9
Grease your hands with vegetable oil, divide the dough into two parts.
10
Form three sausages 40 cm long from one half. Braid the sausages.
11
Grease a 26 cm springform pan with butter and line it with parchment paper. Spread the remaining dough on the bottom and sides of the pan. Prick the dough around the perimeter with a fork.
- Butter: 50 g
12
Pour the filling inside. Place the braid on the dough in the mold.
13
Brush the top of the braid with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake at 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes until the Easter bread rises well and turns golden.
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Sugar: 195 g