Retete romanesti

• • • •

Colegiul National „Calistrat Hogas„ Piatra-Neamt, Romania, Kayseri Halide Nusret Zorlutuna Kız Teknik ve Meslek Lisesi,Turcia Zespół Szkół im.T.Kościuszki w Wysokie, Polonia Colegiul Economic "Dimitrie Cantemir“, Suceava, Romania

Includes: • ROMANIAN SPECIALTY RECIPES • TURKISH SPECIALTY RECIPES • POLISH SPECILATY RECIPES • Glossary of cooking terms • Glossary of food terms • Herbs, spices and seasonings • Measurements, substitutions & equivalents

This book is a part of the common effort of 4 schools from 3 different countries to make a success out of our Leonardo da Vinci project : “EUROPE DEFINES UNITY AND DIVERSITY IN FOOD CULTURE”

implemented during the period of two years, 2012 – 2014.

Our project aims to promote cultural and intercultural awareness between European schools as well as the awareness that the existence of diversity between European countries is important and unifies, rather than separates, countries.

Four schools from Turkey, Poland and Romania collaborate in carrying out activities that deal with various aspects of cultural heritage such as: traditional food, music, arts and crafts, celebrations. Students between 14-18 years old, regardless of origin, gender, ability, religion and socioeconomic background and

teachers are actively involved in the project

developing communication and friendship.

This recipe book is the result of the work of students and teachers from Colegiul National „Calistrat Hogas„ Piatra-Neamt, Romania, Kayseri Halide Nusret Zorlutuna Kız Teknik ve Meslek Lisesi Turcia, Zespół Szkół im.T.Kościuszki

w Wysokiej

–

Polonia,

Colegiul

Economic

"Dimitrie

Cantemir“, Suceava, Romania. The students of each school collected traditional recipes of main course and traditional recipes of each country.

**************************************************** This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

.

Introduction to traditional foods of Romania • Romania has had influence from both invaders and neighbors where its traditional cuisine is concerned. Romania's traditional food sees touches of Turkish, Hungarian, Austrian, and other cuisines, but over the years, these dishes have become just as traditional as the oldest Romanian traditional foods.

TYPICAL DISHES: • Romanian traditional foods heavily feature meat. Cabbage rolls, sausages, and stews (like tocanita) are popular main dishes. Muschi poiana consists of mushroom- and bacon-stuffed beef in a puree of vegetables and tomato sauce. You can also sample traditional Romanian fish dishes, like the salty, grilled carp called saramura.

SOUPS, APPETIZERS, SIDE DISHES IN ROMANIA: • Soups - made with or without meat, or made with fish - are usually offered on menus at Romanian restaurants. Zama is a green bean soup with chicken, parsley, and dill. You may also encounter pilaf and moussaka, vegetables prepared in various ways (including stuffed peppers), and hearty casseroles.

DESSERTS OF ROMANIAN CUISINE: • Traditional Romanian desserts may resemble baklava. Other pastries may best be described as danishes (pastries with cheese filling). Crepes with various fillings and toppings may also be on the typical Romanian dessert menu.

HOLIDAY DISHES: • As in other countries in Eastern Europe, the people of Romania celebrate holidays with special dishes. For example, during Christmas, a pig may be slaughtered and the fresh meat used to make dishes like bacon, sausage, and black pudding. Organs from the pig are consumed as well. During Easter, a cake made of sweetened cheese is eaten.

POLENTA: • Polenta shows up in many Romanian recipe books as a hearty and versatile side dish or as an ingredient of more elaborate dishes. This pudding made of corn meal has been eaten in the region of Romania for centuries--it dates back to Roman times, when soldiers cooked up this grain-based porridge as an easy way to sustain themselves. Polenta can be baked, served with cream or cheese, fried, formed into balls, or made into cakes. Mamaliga, as it is known in Romania, is served in homes and restaurants.

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Popular food recipes

4

5

Black Bean Soup / Supă de fasole neagră

Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 120 minutes Course: lunch/snacks INGREDIENTS

U.S.

Ingredients

Europ ean

1⅓c

Black beans (dry)

¼ kg

1

Ham hock

1

6

Garlic cloves

6

1

Onion (large)

1

8c

Water

2L

¼c

Dry sherry

60 ml

1 tsp

Chili powder

To taste

Salt

1 tsp To taste

DIRECTIONS 1. Wash beans and discard any that float or look funky. Soak beans overnight*.

2. Place pre-soaked beans in a large pot with the ham hock, minced onion and garlic, and wat 3. Cover the pot and bring water to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer ingredients uncovered until beans are tender (1-2 hours). Check and stir occasionally, add a bit more water if necessary (you want the liquid to reduce but not disappear) 4. Once the beans are done, remove the ham hock and pick the meat off the bone. Set the nice bits aside, discard any unwanted bits.

5. Remove about 1 cup of beans and mash the 6. Return mashed beans and nice bits of meat to the soup pot, along with the sherry and chili. Mix well.

7. Taste the soup and add salt as needed. Mix well and heat the soup through.

Poftă bună !

6

Beef Tripe Soup/ Ciorbă de Burtă

•

Beef tripe soup (ciorba de burta) is one of the most popular Romanian soups. Pretty much every traditional Romanian restaurant servers this soup. It takes several hours to cook the beef tripe (unless you have a pressure cooker) but it’s definitely worth the effort.

INGREDIENTS: • 5 l water • 1.2 kg beef tripe (omasum) • ½ kg beef bones • ½ celery root, peeled • 1 parsnip • 3 carrots, peeled • 2 Tbsp oil • 1 onion, peeled • 1 Tbsp peppercorns • 4-5 bay leaves • 10 garlic cloves, minced • 6 egg yolks • 300 g sour cream • 100 g marinated bell peppers • Lemon juice from 1 lemon or 5-6 Tbsp vinegar (I prefer lemon juice) • salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS: Wash the beef tripe and cut it into big pieces. Place the tripe pieces in a large pot and add the water, beef bones, peppercorns, bay leaves and a generous tablespoon of salt. Let it boil for 2-2.5 hours (or 1 hour if you have a pressure cooker). When the beef tripe is almost cooked add 1 carrot, the celery root and onion.

With a strainer or slotted spoon remove foam that forms on top of the soup and discard.

While the beef tripe is cooking, grate the remaining 2 carrots and sauté in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil.

Remove the beef tripe from the soup and cut it into small strips. Discard the beef bones and vegetables from the soup. Place the sautéed carrots in a strainer over a big pot and pour the soup over. The sautéed carrots give the soup a sweet and delicate taste.

Bring the soup to a boil again. Add the beef tripe strips and let it simmer for a few more minutes.

Mix the egg yolks and sour cream. Add 2-3 ladles of soup to bring the mixture to about the same temperature as the soup. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the mixture.

Cut the marinated bell peppers into small cubes. Mix the minced garlic with a pinch of salt and 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add the marinated peppers and garlic to the soup.

Add the lemon juice (or vinegar) and more salt if needed.

Serve with hot peppers.

7

Rădăuți Soup/ Ciorbă Rădăuțeană

• This is a recipe you will have a chance to try in the northern part of Romania INGREDIENTS: • 500 g of poultry (we recommend poultry without bones – it will be easier) • 3 onions • 3 carrots • a pepper or red pepper • a small celery • 400-500 g of sour cream • 2-3 lemons • 2-3 pieces of garlic • salt, pepper, laurel leaves DIRECTIONS: Put the poultry in cold water in a 4-5 liter pot – the water level should be just above the poultry, not more. Let it boil for a bit until you. Close to finish... but not quite ready yet. But it looks yummy already. manage to take out the scum (preferably with a skimmer).

Then add two whole onions, the carrots, a half of the pepper and the celery also whole. Add some salt and pepper and put some more hot water. You should boil the water separately – don’t use cold water as it hardens the meat, nor hot water from the tap, it’s not drinkable water. Let it boil at an average flame until the meat is almost boiled. Then take the meat out and cut it in small pieces. The whole, boiled vegetables also need to be taken out. You will only keep the carrots – cut then into small pieces too. Put the pot back to boil and add the meat and carrots in it. Then add the remaining raw onion, that you will cut in small pieces too, the same with the other (raw) half of the pepper. Let it boil for five or ten more minutes and add salt and pepper to your taste. Then pour the sour cream in and let it boil a bit more. Check to see if the onion pieces are boiled – if they are, add the lemon juice. You can use one, two or three lemons for this, depends on how sour you want the soup to be.

After that let it boil just a bit more and that’s it. At the end you can add some minced parsley. In a separate bowl mince the garlic and mix it with a bit of mineral water. You can add this mixture to each plate with soup. If you’re planning to eat the entire quantity of soup in one day, you can add the garlic into the pot at the end. But it’s preferable to keep it separately and each of your guests can choose whether to add garlic or not. In any case, if you add garlic to the entire soup, it will turn the soup blue overnight.

8

Cabbage Soup / Supă de varză

• Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 120 minutes Course: lunch/snacks Ingredients U.S. 4 1 2 2 2 4 2 6 1 lb 3 qt 1 1 tsp 6 ½ tsp 1c

Ingredients Potatoes (large) Cabbage (medium) Onions Carrots Celery stalks Parsnips Garlic cloves Sprigs parsley Bacon Water Bay leaf Thyme Peppercorns Marjoram White beans (precooked)

European 4 1 2 2 2 4 2 6 ½ kg 3L 1 1 tsp 6 ½ tsp 179 g

DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare the vegetables. Rinse, peel and chop the potatoes, cabbage, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips and garlic. Rinse and finely chop the parsley. Slice and chop the bacon. (Or if desired, place the bacon into the soup in just a few large cubes so that they can be removed after cooking, keeping only the flavor in the soup.) Set each aside separately.

2. In a large pot, add the potatoes, bacon and water. Bring the water to a boil over a mediumhigh flame. Once the water comes to a boil, add all the ingredients, reserving the beans.

3. Reduce the flame and simmer for about 3 hours or until the bacon is tender. Remove any scum or fat that accumulates on the surface of the soup. Add the beans 15 minutes before serving and adjust seasonings to taste.

Poftă bună !

9

Sour Meatball Soup Recipe /Ciorbă de Perișoare

Preparation Time: 30 min Cooking Time: 60 min Course: dinner INGREDIENTS veal shank bone fresh pork bones 2 large carrots, 1 onion 2 parsley roots 1 celery knob, 1 tomato 1 qt. sauerkraut juice celery, leek, fennel, thyme parsley, tarragon, dill lovage, hot pepper seeds 1/2 lb. chopped veal 1/2 lb. chopped pork 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks 4 tbs. uncooked rice 1 cup sour cream 1 tbs Hour

DIRECTIONS Into a large pot (if you want to have enough ciorba for a few days or a week) put 3 quarts of cold water, add a veal shank bone and some fresh pork bone and bring to a boil. Now add 2 large carrots, cut in half lengthwise, 2 whole parsley roots, on large celery knob ut in half or a stalk of celery, one whole tomato and 2 sprigs of green parsley.

Cover and boil until vegetables are tender.Now pour in one quart of sauerkraut juice a nd bring to a boil, cover and let stand, while you are preparing the meat balls as follows: Mix 1/2 pound of veal and 1/2 pound of pork (not too fat nor too lean) chopped together with one whole egg, salt and pepper to taste, one tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, one finely chopped small onion, a little thyme and 2 large tablespoonfuls of rice (well rinsed in cold water).

Mix very well all the ingredients with the hands. Form small balls the size of a walnut in the palms of your hands. Roll the meat balls in flour and let stand on the meat board. Strain the soup into another pot. (If it is too sour, add a little water. If you wish to make it more sour, add some sauerkraut juice). Bring to a boil and add 2 more tablespoonfuls of rice Well-rinsed in cold water. Wait until the boiling starts again, then drop in the meat balls.

Add celery, leek, fennel, parsley, taragon and lovage (all coarsely chopped) and a few seeds from sharp pepper. Mix in a bowl one cup of sour cream, 2 egg yolks and one tablespoonful of flour, adding slowly cold water until you get a thin paste. Pour this paste into the ciorba, stirring constantly. Let boil slowly for 20 minutes.Cover the pot and throw over the cover a large towel to preserve the exquisite bouquet. Serve hot with a tablespoonful of sour cream and sprinkle With chopped fresh green dill, tarragon or parsley.

On the side serve a small red or green sharp pepper. The ciorbas improve with time. They taste better the following day after being made, and even more so the third, fourth and even the fifth day.

10 Poftă mare !

Cream of Mushroom Soup / Supă cremă de ciuperci

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Course: breakfast • servings: 2-4 INGREDIENTS

U.S.

Ingredients

Europea n

DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare one recipe of White Sauce* according to the directions in this book.

1 recipe

White Sauce*

1 recipe

½ lb

Mushrooms (fresh)

¼ kg

½c

Celery

60 g

¼c

Onion

4 Tbs

2 Tbs

Butter

2 Tbs

2c

Vegetable Broth**

475 ml

2 sprigs

Parsley

2 sprigs

To taste

Salt

To taste

To taste

Pepper

To taste

2. Rinse and slice the mushrooms.

3. Wash, peel and chop the celery and onion.

4. In a pot, melt the butter over a medium flame. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are tender.

5. Stir in the Vegetable Broth and vegetables.

6. Rinse and finely chop the parsley and add it to the soup. Simmer for 20 minutes.

7. Slowly begin adding the White Sauce, stirring constantly. Stir over a medium heat until the soup is hot, but not boiling. Serve.

Notes: While this soup is great on its own, it can also serve as an excellent base for casserole type dishes or over pasta.

11 Poftă bună !

Hearty Vegetable Soup / Supă de verdețuri

• Preparation Time: 25 min Cooking Time: 45 min Course: lunch/snack • INGREDIENTS U.S.

1 2 3 3 5 Tbs

Ingredients White beans (dry) Onion (large) Potatoes Carrots (large) Garlic cloves Olive oil

8c

Chicken broth*

1 Tbs

Tomato paste Zucchini (medium) Mushrooms Cabbage (shredded) Green beans Corn Tomatoes Pasta

½c

1 ⅓c 2c ½c ½c 6 ½c To taste 1 tsp ½ tsp ½ tsp

Europe an 100 g 1 2 3 3 5 Tbs 1.5 – 2 L 1 Tbs 1 20 g 680g 100 g 100 g 6 60 g

Salt

To taste

Basil (dry) Oregano (dry) Pepper

1 tsp ½ tsp ½ tsp

DIRECTIONS 1. Pre-soak beans**.

2. Rinse, peel, and chop the onion, potatoes, and carrots.

3. Press the garlic and set aside.

4. In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium flame.

5. Add the onion, potatoes, carrots and garlic to the pot and let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the chicken broth, white beans (pre-soaked), and tomato paste.

7. Heat the soup to a boil in a large pot, then reduce the flame.

Cover and simmer until beans are tender.

8. Meanwhile, rinse and chop the zucchini and slice the mushrooms.

9. Wash, trim and shred the cabbage.

10. Once the beans are tender (about 40-45 min) add the zucchini, mushrooms and cabbage. Cook 5 min.

12. Chop the tomatoes. After 5 min, add tomatoes, pasta, salt, basil, oregano and pepper. Cook until the pasta is tender.

13. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve hot.

Notes: Serve with fresh bread. This recipe has a lot of steps that can be done at the same time with others. Prepare the vegetables while the first sets of ingredients are on the stove. This will save some time. That said, don’t rush this soup; you won’t get the same flavor if you don’t allow for the soup to simmer. The key to this recipe is adding vegetables at the right time so at the end they are all tender, tasting great not overcooked or undercooked.

12 Poftă bună !

Romanian Potato Soup / Supă de cartofi românească

INGREDIENTS 4 potatoes salt and pepper 3 onions 1/4 lb. lean bacon 2 tomatoes 2 tbs. flour 1 carrot paprika 1 tbs. chopped parsley 1 egg yolk 1 tbs. chopped green leek 4 tbs. sweet or sour cream green (or clove of) garlic chopped dill

DIRECTIONS Many are the varieties of potato soups and always they are served as a whole meal in the old country with good homemade bread. Here you can use pumpernickel or rye bread.

Wash, peel and cut lengthwise into 4 parts four or more medium-sized potatoes, place in a pot with 2 quarts of cold water and bring to a boil.

Then add 2 finely chopped onions, 2 tomatoes, one carrot sliced in halves, one tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoonful of chopped green leek and a little chopped green garlic (or a clove of garlic) to taste.

If you cannot get green garlic, and it probably is hard to obtain here, it is simple to grow it yourself. If you have a garden, fine! If not, plant a garlic clove in good earth in a window box or an earthen-ware pot and let it sprout. The green blades will shoot up quickly and you will have the pleasure of using this delightful green. It can be used in nearly everything, but it is simply wonderful in salads.

Returning to the potato soup after this flavorful interruption; when the added vegetables in the pot are half-cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Now fry in a deep iron pan pound of lean bacon, cut into imall pieces. Leave in the pan. Add a finely chopped small onion and fry until soft. Add 2 tablespoonfuls of flour and stir constantly so as not to burn, and season with a little salt, black pepper and red paprika. Pour in slowly enough liquid from the I toiling soup to make a paste, stirring constantly. Now turn this mixture into the soup, stir well and let cook.

Beat the yolk of one egg with about 4 tablespoonfuls of heavy sweet or sour cicam, add a little chopped dill, mix well and pour this into the potato soup, stirring constantly.

When the mixed ingredients have become tender, the soup is ready. Serve in large soup plates, with a teaspoonful of sour Cream on top, and eat with fresh pumpernickel, corn or rye Dread.

13 Pofta buna !

Romanian Beef Soup/ Supă de vită cu galuște de gris

Cooking time: 2 hours and 20 minutes (preparing:20 minutes; cooking: 2 hours) INGREDIENTS: • 2 pounds beef with marrow (shank beef) • 3-4 carrots • 2 parsley roots • 1 parsnip root • 1 celery root • 3-4 medium sized potatoes • 1 large onion SEMOLINA DUMPLINGS Ingredients: • 1 egg • 4 tablespoons semolina flour • 1 tablespoon oil • a pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS: Wash and peel all the vegetables and cut them in halves.

Bring to boil 8 cups water and add the beef.

Simmer for 2 hours, foaming frequently.

When the meat is tender add the vegetables, foaming again. It is possible that some water must be added from time to time, to maintain the initial level of water.

When everything is tender, remove the meat and the vegetables. These can be served as a second course with horseradish, or a homemade sauce.

The marrow is served as a delicacy, spread on a piece of bread and seasoned with a bit of salt and black pepper.

The soup is traditionally served with semolina dumplings or noodles.

Preparation of semolina dumplings Mix well the oil with the semolina flour, the egg and salt until the mixture becomes a thick cream.

Using a teaspoon form dumplings and put them in the simmering soup.

Try for the right consistency by simmering the first dumpling. If it disintegrates, add a little bit more semolina flour.

Add all the dumplings in the soup and simmer them until they surface (2-3 minutes).

It is recommended to take away the dumplings from the soup and put them in a different bowl, as if they are left in the soup for a longer period of time, they will absorb the soup.

When serving the soup, add the semolina dumplings.

14

Borscht for Soup/ Borș

Makes 4 pints You can find commercially prepared borscht sold in concentrated form as a soup base in Polish and Russian delis.

To prepare your own, all you need is wheat bran, water, a little yeast and patience.

Ingredients • 8 ounces wheat bran • 1 teaspoon instant yeast (half a packet) • 2 tablespoons cornmeal • 4 pints water

DIRECTIONS 1. Combine 2 tablespoons of the wheat bran with a cupful of warm water and add the yeast. Leave to froth for a couple of hours, then drain and reserve the bran, discarding the liquid.

2. Put the remaining dry bran and cornmeal in a clean bowl. Boil the water and pour it into the bowl. Mix and leave to cool until tepid, then stir in the yeasty bran.

3. Cover with a clean cloth and set aside for three to four days in a cool place, stirring regularly, until delicately soured. Strain into a clean glass jar, store in the refrigerator and use as required.

4. To start another batch without yeast, reserve a cupful of the strained-out bran and proceed as above, adding the yeasted bran to the new batch at the stage when the bran-and-water mixture has 15 cooled to tepid.

Chicken Soup with Dumplings/ Supă de pui cu galuște

SOUP INGREDIENTS: • 1 whole chicken, or a large Cornish hen • 2 celery stalks • 2 carrots • 1 parsnip(if you have) • 1 big yellow onion • 2-3 garlic cloves • salt/pepper Dumpling Mixture: Do the dumplings only before you are ready to form them and the stock is ready.

• 2 ex large eggs, beaten 1/2(+/-) cup semolina flour, or you can use cream of wheat • salt pepper, • optional 1 tsp onion powder(totally optional...I sometimes add it for additional flavor

DIRECTIONS FOR SOUP: 1. Wash chicken and place in a large pot.

2. Add celery,onion, garlic and carrots. My mom always used a parsnip. Add that in if you have it. I didn't have it ...it still came out great!

3. Add about 1 heaping TBS kosher salt. Cover with water to almost the top of the pot....oh, about 10-15 cups of water.

4. Heat on high and bring to boil. Skim off any grey matter(scum) that accumulates. Lower heat to low and semi cover it. Leave the lid askew so that it won't boil over.

5. Let it simmer on low for 1-2 hours.You can likewise to make the stock in a pressure cookier... it will take 40 minutes.

Directions: 1. Beat the eggs. Add the semolina(or cream of wheat, if using)... start with 1/3 cup for every 2 exlarge eggs.... and then add a bit extra semolina if needed( up to 1/2 cup or so).

2. Mix to fully incorporate. You may need to add a bit extra semolina, a bit at a time, if the mixture is too, too runny( all depends on the size of the eggs)... but don't add too much, as the dumplings can get to be tough if the semolina mixture is too thick.

Rather err on adding less semolina and letting the mixture rest longer.

3. Allow the dumpling mixture to rest until thickened(about 5 minutes)... you should be able to form a dumpling without it falling apart, but it will still be a bit soft. You may want to add one dumpling in the soup to check for consistency and see if it falls apart in the soup right away.... if it does, let it rest a bit more, or add a tiny amount of semolina flour if need be.

4. Before you form the dumplings, place your silverware teaspoon or tablespoon in the hot stock, then form dumplings mixture....this helps the dumpling fall off the teaspoon without sticking.

Continue with making the soup.... 1. Bring broth to a boil and then lower heat to medium so that it is a soft boil.....I noticed if the broth boils rapidly, it will 16 sometimes break up the dumplings.

Soup with Homemade Noodles / Supa de pui cu tăiței

INGREDIENTS: • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 medium onion, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices • 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices • 4 fresh thyme sprigs • 1 bay leaf • 2 quarts chicken stock, recipe follows • 8 ounces dried wide egg noodles • 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

CHICKEN STOCK: • 1 whole free-range chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), rinsed, giblets discarded • 2 carrots, cut in large chunks • 3 celery stalks, cut in large chunks • 2 large white onions, quartered • 1 head of garlic, halved • 1 turnip, halved • 1/4 bunch fresh thyme • 2 bay leaves • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

DIRECTIONS Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil.

Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf.

Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

CHICKEN STOCK: Place the chicken and vegetables in a large stockpot over medium heat. Pour in only enough cold water to cover (about 3 quarts); too much will make the broth taste weak.

Toss in the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and allow it to slowly come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, partially covered, until the chicken is done. As it cooks, skim any impurities that rise to the surface; add a little more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered while simmering.Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. When its cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones; hand-shred the meat into a storage container.Carefully strain the stock through a fine sieve into another pot to remove the vegetable solids. Use the stock immediately or if you plan on storing it, place the pot in a sink full of ice water and stir to cool down the stock.

Cover and refrigerate for up to one week or freeze. 17

Chicken Soup / Supă de pui românească

Preparation Time: 20 min Cooking Time: 60 min Course: lunch/snacks

Ingredients 4 to 5 lb. chicken 1 small parsnip 3 or 4 carrots 1 celery knob celery leaves, parsley 1 parsley root 1 small onion salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS: Choose a good, fat 4 to 5 pound chicken, clean very well and place in a large pot of cold water. (If you want to make a good soup always cook your meats in cold water, but if you want the meal lo be better, place it in boiling waer.)

Bring to a boil and continue the boiling for one hour on a low fire. Now add at short intervals 3 or 4 cleaned carrots, one bunch of celery leaves and one bunch of parsley leaves, each bunch being tied together with white thread.

Bring to a boil and continue the boiling for one hour on a low fire.

Now add at short intervals 3 or 4 cleaned carrots, one bunch of celery leaves and one bunch of parsley leaves, each bunch being tied together with white thread. After a few minutes remove the celery and parsley leaves. Continue to add at short intervals one small onion, a small parsnip, a knob of celery cut in half and one parsley root. Season to taste and continue to boil for 2 to 3 hours more until the chicken is tender.

Strain from the chicken stock enough liquid into a pot to make the right amount of soup for one meal. Bring to a boil and add thin noodles or rice.

But if you add farina dumplings the soup tastes wonderfully delicious. If not done correctly, they turn out hard and that is a great disappointment.

Keep the pot containing the chicken warm until ready to serve. Serve the chicken on a heated plate with mashed potatoes, garnished with the soup vegetables, and sprinkled over with finely chopped parsley. As a side dish serve compote in small saucers.

In Romania this is a Sunday or holiday dish, and is also used when important guests are entertained. They also make the same soup for a young mother, but with a little delicious difference.

They mix the yolk of one egg and 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of heavy sweet cream, then pour the hot soup on this mixture, stirring gently. Sometimes sour cream is substituted for the sweet cream. A little lemon juice is then added, and this results in a captivating flavor.

It is also the custom to bring nourishing soups as a gift to a new mother, so she may have good milk to feed her baby. Usually it is chicken soup, with tender chicken parts in it. Friends or neighbors are not ashamed to inquire if the new mother has already gotten the soup they mean to bring. If this is the case, they will make changes in it, perhaps straining the soup and adding lemon juice and sour cream sauce, putting on top a 18 few diced bread pieces toasted in butter.

19

Bean Dip / Fasole Bătută

• Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Course: lunch/snacks • INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS U.S. 1¼c

Ingredients White beans (dry)*

Euro pean ¼ kg

2

Onions (mediumsmall)

2

3

Garlic cloves

3

1

Carrot (optional)

1

2 tsp

Salt

12 g

2

Tomatoes

2

1 Tbs

Oil

1 Tbs

1. Wash, sort, and presoak beans*. Drain the water from the beans and set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil over a medium flame.

3. Peel onions, leave one whole, and finely chop the other. Set both aside. Peel and mince garlic, clean and coarsely chop the carrot. Set aside.

4. Once the water is boiling, add the beans, salt, and the whole onion. Boil for 15 minutes.

5. Add the carrot, garlic and salt to the beans and cook until the beans are tender.

6. Once the beans are tender, drain them, reserving the water. Discard the whole onion.

7. Mash beans and carrot together until smooth. If needed, add a small amount of reserved bean water to prevent the beans from drying out. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

8. Finely chop the tomatoes.

9. In a large saucepan, heat oil and sauté chopped onion until soft. Add tomatoes and cook mixture for 5 minutes.

10. Stir the tomato mixture into the beans. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold.

20 Substitutions: Fresh tomatoes/Canned tomatoes.

Egg Salad / Salată de ouă

• Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes Course: lunch/snacks • Other Info

DIRECTIONS

• servings: 1-2 • Ingredients U.S. 2 1 Tbs 1 Tbs To taste To taste

Ingredien ts Eggs Onion (finely chopped) Mayonnai se Salt Pepper

1. Boil eggs*.

Euro pean 2 1 Tbs 1 Tbs To taste To taste

2. While eggs boil, finely chop 1 Tbs worth of onion.

3. Mash eggs, mayonnaise, chopped onion and a pinch of salt and pepper until well mixed. Taste and adjust flavoring.

4. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator.

Don’t store more than a few days.

Notes: Egg Salad is very nice served on fresh whole grain (or white) bread with lettuce, or on crackers.

Variations: This basic recipe can be spiced up in many ways. Add a pinch of paprika, or other dry spice. Or, try 1 tsp of chopped fresh herbs, like chives, green onion, parsley or thyme. You can also add ½ tsp mustard or horseradish

21

Romanian Potato Salad / Salată de boeuf

•

• • •

Originally made with beef, it is now made with whatever one has on hand -- chicken, turkey, ham, even hot dogs and the recipe varies from family to family and region to region. What remains constant is the use of potatoes and root vegetables, and everything is diced finely.

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS: Salad: • 2 large russet potatoes • 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced small (or use beef, turkey, ham, hot dogs, etc.)

• 1 cup peeled carrots, boiled and diced small • 1 cup peeled parsnips, boiled and diced small • 5 large hard-cooked eggs, diced • 1 small onion, diced small • 2 celery stalks, diced small • 1 1/2 cups diced pickles • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas Dressing: • 1 to 2 cups mayonnaise, or to taste • 1 tablespoon mustard • Salt and pepper to taste Garnish: • Parsley • Olives • Reserved hard-cooked eggs • Reserved cooked vegetables

DIRECTIONS: Boil potatoes in their skins in salted water until fork tender. Remove from water and peel off the skin when they are cool enough to handle. Dice small and reserve.

In a large bowl, add potatoes, chicken or other meat, carrots, parsnips, eggs, onion and celery. Squeeze the diced pickles lightly in a paper towel to remove some of their juice (otherwise the salad will be too watery) and add to the rest of the diced ingredients.

Place frozen peas in a colander and run cold water over them to defrost. Drain completely, patting dry if necessary, and add to the other diced ingredients in the large bowl.

Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard and salt and pepper. Add to diced ingredients in large bowl and toss to completely cover.

Transfer to a pretty serving bowl. Cover the entire top with a thin layer of mayonnaise but enough so no salad shows through. Decorate the top with reserved vegetables and hard-cooked eggs. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to serve chilled or 22 serve immediately at room temperature.

Winter pickles/ Murături de iarnă

• Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes • INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS U.S. 8c 2 Tbs 4-6 lb 4 5-10 2 Tbs 4-6 As neede d 4 2 tsp 3c

Ingredients Water Salt Cucumbers Horseradish roots (large) Garlic cloves Mustard seed Dill blossoms Cherry leaves or grape leaves (optional) Bay leaves Peppercorn s (whole) Vinegar

Europ ean 2L 2 Tbs 2-3 kg 1 root 5-10 2 Tbs 4-6 As neede d 4 2 tsp ¾L

1. Sterilize 1 large jar or several smaller jars (10-15 small jars).

2. In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil.

3. While water is heating, clean and trim cucumbers (slice if desired - or if needed to fit in jars).

4. Wash and peel the horseradish, and slice it into strips.

5. Place cucumbers, horseradish, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, and dill blossoms into sterilized jar(s). Make sure you have a bit of space at the top of the jar(s), liquid must cover everything.

6. When the water boils, add bay leaves, peppercorns and vinegar.

Boil for 3 minutes longer. Then remove pot from stove to cool.

7. When liquid is lukewarm, pour into the jar(s). If you'd like, put clean, fresh cherry leaves or grape leaves on top (these will help keep your cucumbers crisp). Make sure nothing sticks up above the liquid.

8. Close tightly with a sterilized jar lid (one that fits securely on the jar), or cover the mouth of the jar with moistened cellophane and tie tightly with a string.

9. Store jar(s) in a cool dry place. The pickles will be ready after 48 weeks and should keep for up to 9 months as long as they are not disturbed.

Notes:Pickling is fun and surprisingly easy. You shouldn’t have any trouble with jars breaking or with contamination as long as you keep everything (including your hands) clean, and don’t put very hot liquid in your jars. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can get really creative with your pickling ingredients, or make fancy designs in your jars like the bunicas.

23 Poftă bună !

Red Potato Salad / Salată de cartofi roșii

• Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes Course: lunch/snacks INGREDIENTS U.S. 7 1 2 ¼c ¼c To taste To taste To taste

Ingredient s Red potatoes Onion (medium) Red bell peppers Sour cream Mayonnais e Dill Salt Pepper

Euro pean 7 1 2 4 Tbs 4 Tbs To taste To taste To taste

DIRECTIONS 1. Clean and boil the potatoes with the peels on. When tender, drain and rinse with cold water. Cube the potatoes (keeping the peels on) and set aside to cool.

2. Cube onion and red pepper.

3. In a large bowl add potatoes, onion and peppers. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, salt, and pepper. Let sit for one hour and serve.

Variations: If you are looking for a twist, add a little garlic powder and paprika.

24

Romanian Sweet Pepper Salad /Salată de Ardei

• Romanian sweet pepper salad or salata de ardei orsalata de piper starts with Romanian peppers that begin ivorycolored, turn orange, then mature to red. The peppers are often harvested when ivory and fried. Red bell peppers can be used here and, unlike other Romanian pepper salads, they are not roasted or peeled in this recipe, and garlic or onion are not used.

Peppers are a traditional mezeluri (appetizer) dish.

INGREDIENTS: • 4 Romanian red peppers or red bell peppers, washed, stemmed, seeded and cut lengthwise into quarters • 3 tablespoons white-wine or red-wine vinegar • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper • 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste • 1 teaspoon sweet or hot Hungarian paprika (optional) • 12 or more pitted brined black olives • 4 ounces cubed feta or kaskaval cheese

DIRECTIONS: Blanch pepper quarters for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and blot with paper towels.

Meanwhile, make the marinade in a large zip-top plastic bag by mixing vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, sugar and paprika, if using.

Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Add pepper quarters, seal the bag and turn over several times so peppers are completely coated. Refrigerate flat for 24 hours, flipping over after 12 hours.

When ready to serve, place peppers on individual plates or a platter. Place olives over peppers followed by cheese cubes.

Drizzle some of the marinade over all and serve immediately.

25

Romanian Chicken Salad /Salată De Pui

Romanian chicken salad or salata de pui is a specialty salad popular in Romania, particularly in Eastern Romania.

This salad is served in Romania at every party and on every holiday. And there is small wonder because it presents beautifully, decorated with strips of red pepper, and is delicious as a dip for crackers, or a topping for cocktail bread.

INGREDIENTS: Salad: • 1 pound cooked boned chicken breast (or the breast meat from a 3-pound chicken) • 2 large hard-cooked eggs • 3 medium cooked carrots • 1 medium cooked parsnip • 1 large cooked russet potato • 1 medium cooked parsley root • 3 dill pickles • 1 (7-ounce) can drained sweet peas or 7 ounces frozen peas, defrosted Dressing: • 1 cup mayonnaise • Juice from 1/2 lemon • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste • 1 tablespoon mustard • 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste Garnish: • 1 red pepper, cut in strips

DIRECTIONS: Very finely dice the chicken, eggs, carrots, parsnip, potato, parsley root, and pickles.

Place in a large bowl with the peas and mix thoroughly.

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, mustard, and pepper. Add dressing to chicken salad and mix until thoroughly combined. Adjust seasonings.

Refrigerate until cold (or serve at room temperature).

Serve on a lettuce-lined platter, if desired, garnished with red pepper strips.

Alternatively, serve on a platter and surround with crackers or cocktail breads.

26

Deviled Egg / Ouă umplute

Preparation time: 45 minutes Makes: 6 servings INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

• 12 eggs • 2 teaspoons horseradish mustard • 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise • half large onion • a pinch of salt • ground black pepper

Put the eggs in a pot with cold water.

Bring the water to boil, then make it simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Drain the water and put the eggs under cold running water for 2-3 minutes.

Peel the eggs and cut them along the longest diameter.

Pop out the yolks and put them in a bowl, then mash them with a fork.

Mix the mashed yolks with the mayonnaise until the mixture becomes creamy.

Add the grated onion paste (you can use a chopping machine on the finest setting) and season with the horseradish mustard, salt and ground black pepper.

Fill each half of the white shell with the creamy mixture.

Use parsley leaves for decorating the eggs.

Another popular version of deviled egg recipe in Romania, uses a slightly different creamy filling that incorporates finely chopped ham. Filling ingredients: mashed yolks, mayonnaise, horseradish mustard, salt, ground black pepper, grated onion paste and finely chopped ham.

27

Green Beans with Garlic & Mayo/ Salată de fasole si maioneză

• Climbing beans are a great crop for the backyard gardener especially when you don’t have much space. I planted some this year close to the fence and they grew so nicely and fast. It felt great picking them right from our backyard, making this easy and delicious salad (a family favourite during summer time) and literally enjoying the fruits of our labour.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 kg green beans • 4-6 garlic cloves • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise (if you want to make mayo at home check out my Boeuf Salad post for the recipe) • 1 Tbsp salt

DIRECTIONS: Wash the green beans and trim the ends.

Place beans in a pot with water & salt and bring to a boil. Cook them for approximately 10 minutes or until they reach the desired doneness.

Once cooked, discard the water and cut beans into desired lengths. Set aside to cool.

Mince garlic and add over beans together with the mayonnaise.

Toss to combine, serve and enjoy!

28

29

Romanian Jellied Pig's Feet /Piftie de Porc

Jellied pork is a favorite holiday dish in Romania and can be made with pig's feet, ears, tails or heads or a combination of scrap pork meat, and is called piftie de porc. This meat is very gelatinous so you shouldn't need additional gelatin for the dish to be moldable.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes • Cook Time: 3 hours • Must set in refrigerator: 8 hours • Total Time: 11 hours, 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS: • 3 pounds/1.5 kg pig's feet, ears, tails or heads • 1 large onion, peeled but left whole • 3 to 4 whole garlic cloves • 2 bay leaves • 15 to 20 black peppercorns • 3 to 4 juniper berries • 2 carrots, peeled but left whole • 1 celery root, peeled but left whole • 1 parsley root, peeled but left whole • 1 parsnip, peeled but left whole • 1 chopped garlic clove • Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS: Wash the pork pieces thoroughly, singing any hair and removing nails, if necessary. Split the feet in two lengthwise and break the head with a mallet. Scald the pork in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.

Drain and rinse. Place the pork in a clean pot of fresh water that comes 3 to 4 inches above the meat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer on low, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. To get a clear jelly, you must simmer slowly with the pot almost covered. After 2 hours, add the whole onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper berries, carrots, celery root, parsley root and parnsip. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until meat is falling off the bones and vegetables are tender.

Remove the meat and carrots to a plate or bowl and discard the bones, skin and cartilage. Chop the meat coarsely and dice the carrots, and reserve. Strain the broth, pressing down on the vegetables to extract as much flavor as possible, and add to it 1 clove chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the broth into a small saucepan and reduce it a little.

Place meat and carrots into a mold. Pour the reduced broth over the meat and carrots. Refrigerate until it sets. Unmold onto a serving platter. Garnish with greens or parsley, if desired, and serve with vinegar, horseradish, lemon and marinated mushrooms to be used at the discretion of the diner.

30

Romanian Polenta)/ Mămăligă

Romanian Mamaliga Balls are another example of Eastern Europeans’ love of food tucked inside other food. Cornmeal porridge – mamaliga – is cooked until thick, portioned into balls and stuffed with salami or smoked sausage and fried.

The influence of the Mediterranean on Romanian cuisine is evidenced in this cornmeal porridge which is the equivalent of Italian polenta.

This is a great appetizer, snack or finger food appropriate with cocktails. Substitute the salami with chunks of ham or feta cheese.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

• Cook Time: 3 minutes • Total Time: 18 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 2 cups fine yellow cornmeal • 2 1/2 cups water • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon butter • 1 cup salami or smoked sausage or pepperoni, casing removed and roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS: This is the way the country people prepare mamaliga.

Pul on the fire a deep and heavy soup pot with 2 quarts of sailed water. When it is boiling fast pour in at once enough yellow corn meal to form the shape of a pyramid.

After the corn meal has been boiling for about 30 to 40 minutes make a hole in die pyramid from the top through the center with a wooden mail stick (a sort of a thin rolling pin).

In Romania it is called facalet and is made by the menfolk especially for preparing mamaliga. The top is artistically carved with an individual design and the name of the owner. It is a handy instrument to have around as a protection against burglars and excitable wives have been known to use it on straying husbands. If a youngster gets a little out of hand, all a mother has to do is to look in the direction of the facalet and he will suddenly become very obedient.

While the mamaliga is boiling, prepare the cheese, stew (tocana) or any other dish you wish to serve on the side.

31 Poftă bună !

Romanian Stuffed Cabbage /Sarmale

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 1 whole head cabbage, about 4 pounds • 6 tablespoons olive oil • 1 finely chopped medium onion • 2 minced garlic cloves • 2 1/2 tablespoons raw rice • 1/4 cup hot water • 1 1/2 pounds ground pork • 1 slice crustless white bread • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill • 1 teaspoon thyme • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon black pepper • 1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper (optional) • 2 tablespoons water • 1 cup sauerkraut juice reserved from drained sauerkraut (see below) • 1 tablespoon vegeta • 10 black peppercorns • 4 bay leaves • 3 cups sauerkraut, drained (reserve 1 cup juice, see above), rinsed and squeezed dry • 6 strips bacon • 6 fresh dill sprigs • 2 pounds sliced tomatoes (fresh or canned)

DIRECTION: Remove core from cabbage. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling, salted water.

Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You will need about 18 leaves.

When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through. Chop any remaining cabbage and set aside.

In a large skillet, saute chopped onion, garlic and rice in 1 tablespoon olive oil, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent. Add hot water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the water. Let cool.

32 Poftă bună !

Romanian Stuffed Cabbage /Sarmale

• Place pork in a large bowl. Quickly dip bread in water, squeeze to remove excess water and add to meat along with onion-garlic-rice mixture, combining thoroughly. Add dill, thyme, salt, pepper, hot pepper, if using, and 2 tablespoons water. Mix completely but lightly so as not to toughen the meat.

• In a medium bowl, mix 3 cups water with sauerkraut juice, Vegeta, peppercorns and bay leaves, and set aside.

• Place about 1/2 cup of meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Roll away from you to encase the meat. Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side.

You will have something that looks like an envelope. Once again, roll away from you to create a neat little roll.

• Using 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil, coat a large, lidded Dutch oven or casserole dish. Mix reserved chopped cabbage with sauerkraut and place some in the bottom of the prepared Dutch oven.

• Place 3 strips bacon across sauerkraut and cover with a layer of stuffed cabbages.

Add another layer of sauerkraut, bacon strips and stuffed cabbage. Then top with remaining sauerkraut. Spread dill sprigs on top and sprinkle with remaining olive oil. Pour sauerkraut juice-water mixture over all.

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer about 20 minutes. Transfer to oven and cook 1 1/2 hours. Then add sliced tomatoes, cover and cook another 45 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking another 15 minutes.

• When ready to serve, remove bay leaves, and accompany sarmale with boiled potatoes, pasta or mamaliga (polenta).

33 • Poftă bună !

Romanian Sausages/Mititei

The story has it a popular mid-19th-century Romanian inn, famous for its sausages, was out of a customer favorite. To save time, the chef formed the unstuffed meat mixture into sausage-shaped cylinders and grilled them over charcoal. The customers delighted in “the wee ones without skin,” and so these casingless sausages became known as mititei or “the wee ones.”

Mititei also can be made with lamb or pork or a combination, and formed into patties or meatballs and grilled, broiled, pan fried or baked in the oven.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cook Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 30 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 2 pounds ground chuck • 2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTION: Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly, wetting your hands frequently to keep the meat moist. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Using slightly dampened hands, divide mixture into 18 equal portions and form into oval sausages about 3 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick.

Grill, broil or pan fry 7 minutes per side or bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Serve with tomato and green onion salad, sour cream sprinkled with paprika, baked potato or french fries, or rice.

“Mititei” make great appetizers and are wonderful cold the next day in a sandwich.

Poftă bună !

• 2 tablespoons water • 3 finely chopped garlic cloves • 1/2 teaspoon thyme • 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika • 2 teaspoons caraway seeds • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

34

Romanian Braised Sauerkraut /Varză Călită

• This Romanian recipe for braised sauerkraut or varză călită (VAHR-zuh cuh-LEE-tuh) takes on a reddish color from the added tomato sauce.

Don’t discard the juices drained from the sauerkraut.

They are the building blocks of many Romanian sour soups known as ciorba.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes

• Cook Time: 1 hour • Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 2 pounds sauerkraut • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter • 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper or to taste

• 2 cups tomato sauce • 2 teaspoons salt or to taste • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika • 1/2 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS: Drain sauerkraut, reserving juices for other uses like sour soups. Place them in a glass jar with a screw top and refrigerate. Wash sauerkraut, drain and soak in cold water 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze sauerkraut dry.

In a large saucepan, melt butter, add sauerkraut, coating with butter and saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pepper and tomato sauce. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 50 minutes, adding water if necessary if it becomes too dry.

Add salt, paprika and wine. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Serve with pork,

poultry or fish.

Poftă bună !

35

Moldavian Breaded Meat Patties /Pârjoale Moldovenești

Ground meat patties, meatballs, meat croquettes and hamburgers exist in one form or another in every ethnic cuisine. In Romania, they are called parjoale and chiftele. Parjoale can be made from beef, pork, lamb or any combination thereof.

This recipe is from the province of Moldavia, to the northeast of Romania. Romanians typically make a large quantity of parjoale at one time because they are delicious the next day cold on rye bread with whole-grain mustard, and perfect for picnics or traveling.

INGREDIENTS: • 2 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck • 1/2 pound ground pork • 2 medium onions, finely chopped • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 1 large potato, peeled and grated • 3 teaspoons salt • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper • 3 slices bread • 1/2 cup milk • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill • All-purpose flour • 2 large eggs, beaten • Breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS: Place beef, pork, onions, garlic and potato in large bowl. Add salt, black pepper and hot pepper, and mix well using your hands or a wooden spoon.

Place bread and milk in a medium bowl and soften with your fingers. Add to meat mixture along with parsley and dill, and mix well.

Shape into 18 patties. Dredge each patty in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs. Allow to dry a little while heating oil.

Place olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, carefully add patties and fry slowly in batches, adding oil if necessary, about 7-10 minutes per side, especially if you use pork or lamb.

Poftă bună !

36

Veal Stew with Polenta /Tocană de vițel cu mămăligă

INGREDIENTS: • 3 pounds boneless veal stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes • Salt and pepper to taste • All-purpose flour for dusting • 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed • 3/4 cup minced onion • 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot • 1 cup coarsely chopped celery root (celeriac) • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1 1/2 cups dry red wine • 6 cups beef broth, or as needed • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary • 2 sprigs fresh thyme • 1 bay leaf • 1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved • 1 cup pearl onions, peeled and blanched • 1 cup green beans, trimmed and blanched • 1 recipe freshly cooked mamaliga (polenta), kept hot and pourable

DIRECTIONS: Season veal generously with salt and pepper. Dredge seasoned veal in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or casserole over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown veal on all sides until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Return pan to heat. Add onion, carrot and celery root.

Saute, stirring frequently, until onion is lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook until there is a sweet aroma and tomato paste darkens in color, about 5 minutes. Add wine and stir to dissolve all the drippings.

Return veal and any exuded juices to Dutch oven. Add enough broth to cover veal by about 1 inch and bring to a boil. Add a bouquet garni made by tying the rosemary, thyme and bay leaf together in cheesecloth with butcher's twine. Cover and let simmer over low heat until veal is almost tender, about 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bouquet garni and discard.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Add Brussels sprouts and pear onions to stew. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are nearly tender, about 20 minutes. Add green beans and simmer until they are very hot, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

Transfer stew to a clean casserole or baking dish. Top with an even layer of mamaliga. Bake until stew and polenta are very hot and crust is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Divide among heated bowls and serve. 37 Enjoy!

Romanian Cream of Mushroom/ "Ciulama de Ciuperci "

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb diced chicken (thighs) • 1 onion, cut in quarters • 1 carrot, cut in chunks 1 small parsnip, cut in chunks(if you don't have, you can omit) • 1 celery stick, cut in chunks • 4 cups water • 4 TBS butter, divided • 1 lb white mushrooms, sliced • 3-4 TBS flour

• 3 cups(+/-) chicken stock 3 TBS sour cream salt and pepper chopped parsley (or dill) • Additional: soft polenta* - See more at:

DIRECTIONS: In a medium stock pot, add chicken and vegetables... along with 4 cups of water.

Season water with about 2 tsps kosher salt.

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, add 2 TBS of butter to a hot skillet and allow butter to melt. To melted butter, add sliced mushrooms, and cook on med/high until mushrooms are cooked and golden....season with a bit of salt. Remove and set aside.

When stock is cooked, remove vegetables. Strain the stock, while leaving behind the chicken pieces. Set the chicken aside, next to to the cooked mushrooms. Set the stock aside as well, for later.

Clean skillet and heat the remaining 2 TBS( you can add 1 or 2 extra TBS of butter) on med/low heat. Add the flour and cook stirring until it is fully incorporated. Remove the skillet away from the heat and slowly add 2 1/2-3 cups of the reserved stock.... whisking until mixture is free of lumps.

Place the skillet back on the stove, and mix in 3 TBS of sour cream. Add the reserved chicken, and cooked mushrooms. Stir to combine.

Continue to cook the ciulama on low heat for an additional 15-20 minutes... or until mixture is thickened. Check seasoning.

38

Romanian Chicken Kebabs/ Frigărui românești

This recipe for Romanian chicken kebabs or frigaruican be made with seasoned chicken only or a combination of chicken and veggies. Frigarui is also made with pork or beef and sometimes bacon skewered with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms and then grilled.

• Should be marinated overnight.: 24 hours • Total Time: 24 hours, 35 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes • 1 ounce mixed chopped herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley) • 1/2 teaspoon pepper • Juice of 1/2 lemon • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1/2 teaspoon ginger • 2 cloves crushed garlic • 3 ounces plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS: In a plastic zip-top bag, combine herbs, pepper, lemon juice, sugar, ginger, garlic and yogurt. Add chicken cubes, covering all the pieces with marinade, and refrigerate overnight or at least three hours.

Heat grill. Thread chicken pieces on skewers that have been soaked in water for about an hour so they don't catch fire on the grill. Grill chicken kebabs on greased grates about 10-15 minutes or until done. These can also be prepared on an indoor grill, broiler or oven.

Serve with a sauce like mujjdei de usturoi made with garlic, sunflower or olive oil and vinegar or beef stock.

39

Traditional Romanian Sausages/ Cârnați tradiționali românești

INGREDIENTS • 2 lbs / 1 kg fatty pork • pork lungs and spleen • a handful of boiled pork rind • 3 – 4 onions fried in 3 tablespoons of lard • 3 – 4 tablespoons of pork blood • 2 – 3 garlic cloves • a little ground juniper berries • pepper • salt • 3 – 4 tablespoons pork broth

DIRECTIONS Boil the meat, lungs, spleen and rind with an onion. When almost ready, remove from heat, let cool, then grind.

Add the onions fried in lard, garlic, pepper, juniper berries, salt, a few tablespoons of broth and a a few tablespoons of pork blood.

Mix everything well.

The mixture has to be rather soft than hard.

Fill the big intestine, tie the ends with string and boil in the water in which the meat, lungs and rind have boiled.

After coming to a boil, boil for another 20 – 25 minutes.

Before boiling, prick with a thick needle.

When ready, remove from the liquid and keep in cold water until cooled.

Serve cold or pan-fried.

40

Lamb Haggis / Terrine Drob de Miel

• Romanian Lamb Haggis is one of the most popular dishes cooked around Easter. It’s made of minced lamb innards (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys), green onions, eggs, fresh dill and parsley. All these wrapped in a caul (or pasta sheet) and roasted like a meatloaf.

We serve it as an appetizer with green onions, tomatoes or you can try it with my mom’s easy and delicious salad (romaine lettuce, red radishes, green onions with an oil and vinegar dressing).

INGREDIENTS: • Lamb innards (liver, heart, lungs) from a lamb • 4 bunches green onions • 1 bunch dill • 1 bunch parsley • 2 slices of bread soaked in milk • 4 eggs • 4 hard-boiled eggs • 50 g butter • Salt & pepper • 1 lamb caul or a thin pasta sheet

DIRECTIONS: Wash the innards and leave them for half an hour in cold water. Boil them in water & a pinch of salt for about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

Peel and cut the green onions. Mince the green onions, dill and parsley in a food processor.

When innards are cool, cut them in smaller pieces. Mince them together with the slices of bread (soaked in milk).

Combine the minced onions, parsley, dill and the beaten eggs. Season with salt and pepper.

Butter the pan and line the pasta sheet to cover the bottom and sides of a loaf pan and leave something extra to cover the mixture. Brush the pasta sheet with melted butter. If you are using the lamb’s caul, you should soak it in cold water for about an hour.

Add half of the mixture, arrange the hard-boiled eggs in the pan and cover with the remaining mixture. Cover with the pasta sheet, brush with melted butter and bake for 30 minutes.

41

Romanian Stuffed Peppers/ Ardei umpluți

• These stuffed peppers are like a warm blanket hugging me on a cold evening. They are my # 1 comfort food and very much needed now that temperatures are heading south. The thing is, that it's not just about eating these peppers, it's also about cooking them.

INGREDIENTS: • 6 medium bell peppers -green or red. Pick bell peppers with a nice bell shape.

1.5 lbs ground meat, usually beef (I used 1 lb 90% ground beef, 0.25 lb 85% ground beef and 0.25 ground pork) 1/2 cup Arborio rice 1 medium yellow onion chopped 3/4 cup fresh chopped dill 15 oz can tomato sauce Salt and freshly ground pepper to your liking Flour to top the peppers

DIRECTIONS: Wash the bell peppers. Cut around the stem of the bell pepper and remove all the seeds. You may want to blanch the peppers for a few minutes before stuffing them.

Mix together the meat, rice, onion, dill, salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons tomato sauce to the mix and 5 tablespoons of water. Mix well with your hands.

Stuff the peppers with the mixture but don't stuff them too tightly.

Top the stuffed peppers with about 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent the mix from escaping the peppers Add the peppers to the pot. Add the tomato sauce and water until the stuffed peppers are almost covered. Boil on medium to medium high heat until cooked, about 1 hour.

Serve with bread and sour cream. Yummy!

42 Enjoy!

Chicken liver/ Ficat de pui

CHICKEN LIVER WITH GARLIC

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken liver • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil • 2-3 garlic cloves • salt • ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS: 1.Examine the chicken liver and remove any green traces (gall remains - which are very bitter).

2.Put the chicken livers into a non-stick skillet with non-heated olive oil.

3.Sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.

4.Cook at high heat for 3-4 minutes (each chicken liver must have enough space in the skillet to be lightly fried -to become brownish).

5.Flip over and cook for another 3 minutes.

6.Add minced garlic cloves. Cover the skillet with a lid .

7.Now reduce the heat to low . After another 2-3 minutes the

.

dinner is ready to be served

DIRECTIONS:

CHICKEN LIVER WITH ONION Ingredients: • 1 pound chicken liver • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 large onion • salt • ground black pepper

Examine the chicken liver and remove any green traces (gall remains - which are very bitter) .

Finely chop the onion.

Put on medium heat the chopped onion in a non-stick skillet with olive oil.

When the onion becomes translucent add the chicken liver.

Sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.

Put a lid on the skillet and cook the chicken liver for about 5-8 minutes.

43

Romanian Pork Cordon Bleu / Şniţel

Schnitzel or şniţel is a popular main course in restaurants, fast food places, and homes across Romania. This recipe for a type of schnitzel known as pork cordon bleu, or cordon bleu şniţel in Romanian, features pounded pork tenderloin filled with prosciutto or ham and cheese. Other popular Romanian filled schnitzel are the şniţel mozaic-rulatstuffed with two different thin meat layers, cheese, red peppers and mushroom filling. And then there is the sniţel de ciuperci, a mushroom fritter.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

DIRECTIONS: Cut pork tenderloin into eight equal slices.

Pound each slice thinly between two pieces of plastic wrap. Lightly season both sides of each pounded cutlet with salt and pepper. Place a slice of prosciutto or ham and then a slice of cheese on each cutlet. Roll as you would for stuffed cabbage to completely enclose the filling.

• Cook Time: 30 minutes • Total Time: 50 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 1 1/2 pounds / 680 g boneless pork tenderloin, fat and silver skin removed • Salt and pepper

Dredge each rolled cutlet in flour. Then dip into egg-water mixture and then into bread crumbs, coating all sides. Heat a large skillet and add oil and butter. When sizzling but not browning, add cutlets and cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Serve two cutlets per person.

Poftă bună !

• 8 slices proscuitto or wafer-thin ham • 8 thin slices Romanian cascaval or Bulgarian kashkaval cheese or Swiss cheese • All-purpose flour • 1-2 large eggs, beaten with 1-2 teaspoons water • Fine dry bread crumbs • 3 tablespoons butter • Oil

44

Romanian Creamed Chicken/ Ciulama de pui

INGREDIENTS: • 1 large chicken, cleaned, skinned, and cut into 8 pieces • 4–6 additional legs, skinned and thighs separated • 1large yellow cooking onion, diced • 4 large cloves garlic, minced • 2–3 ribs celery, diced • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced • 1pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced • 2 tablespoons unbleached allpurpose flour • 2 cups 35% or 18% cream, or a combination • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika • sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste • fresh parsley or dill, chopped

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, mix together onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. Place half the vegetable mixture in an ovenproof lidded casserole. Layer chicken pieces (including neck and gizzards, if using) on top and cover with remaining vegetable mixture. Cover casserole and bake for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook mushrooms in a pan or skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until they begin to give up their moisture. When all their liquid has been released and they begin to brown slightly, remove them from the heat and reserve. (Cooking them separately means they don't water down the stew.)

After 1 hour of cooking time, remove casserole from oven and check stew. The vegetables should be nearly cooked through, the chicken should be starting to brown, and there should be a nice amount of liquid in the pot. (If vegetables are still crisp and chicken is undercooked, cover casserole and return to oven for an additional 15– 20 minutes.) Place flour in a mixing bowl and add cream while whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth.

Add cream, reserved mushrooms, and paprika to stew.

Cover casserole and return to oven for 1/2 hour.

Remove casserole from oven and stir contents. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or dill before serving with mamaliga and/or fresh bread.

45

Ham and macaroni / Macaroane cu şuncă

Meat "puddings" are common in Romania.

Sometimes they are combined with macaroni and sometimes cheese and sometimes both and beaten eggs. Other recipes call for sour cream. This one is for ham and macaroni or macaroane şi bundincă de şuncă.

INGREDIENTS: • 8 ounces / 250 g small pasta like elbow macaroni or mini penne pasta • 3 tablespoons butter or bacon grease • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1 cup milk • 2 ounces / 57 g grated Romanian cascaval / Bulgarian kashkaval or white Cheddar cheese • 1/2 teaspoon salt (depending on how salty your ham and cheese are) • Pepper • 3 large eggs, beaten • 7 ounces / 200 g cubed ham • Butter to grease the baking dish • Bread crumbs for the baking dish

DIRECTIONS: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the pasta, return to a boil and cook for 9 to 11 minutes or until more than a little al dente but not mushy. Drain and run under cold water and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter and add flour, mixing to form a roux. Whisk in milk and simmer until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat. Add cheese, salt and pepper to taste, mixing until cheese has melted. Let cool. When cool, quickly whisk in the beaten eggs until uniformly mixed.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cubed ham and cheese sauce, mixing thoroughly. Butter a medium baking pan or gratin dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Transfer pasta mixture to pan, evening out. Lightly coat one side of a piece of foil with cooking spray and place sprayed side on top of mixture in pan, folding the edges under. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes until golden brown. If casserole is bubbly but not browned, place it under the broiler until a golden color is achieved. Serve hot.

46 Poftă bună !

Moussaka with Potatoes/ Musaca cu cartofi

Moussaka with potatoes is a terrific choice both for those who don't care for the more well-known version with eggplant, and also when eggplant are not in season.

INGREDIENTS: • 5-6 pounds of potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2 inch slices • 2 tablespoons of olive oil • 4 medium onions, chopped • 2 1/2 pounds of ground beef (or lamb) • 3 cups of chopped ripe tomatoes with juice (or canned tomatoes) • 1 cup of finely ground toasted breadcrumbs • sea salt (to taste) • freshly ground black pepper (to taste) • 3 cloves of garlic, minced • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a small stick (break off around 1 inch long) • 2 bay leaves • 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice • 6-8 whole cloves • 1/2 cup of red wine • 3 tablespoons of tomato paste • béchamel with cheese* or 6 cups of basic béchamel

DIRECTIONS: Preheat the frying pan or skillet over low heat.

When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil and increase the heat to medium low. Using a wooden spoon, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the meat and continue to sauté until lightly browned. Add tomatoes, 1/2 the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves, allspice, cloves, wine, and tomato paste, and mix well.

Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes to an hour.

When dry, discard the bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon stick (if used), and set sauce aside uncovered until ready to use.

While the sauce is simmering: Make the béchamel with cheese or 6 cups of basic béchamel, cover, and set aside. Sauté the potato slices until lightly browned.Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Lightly oil a large baking or roasting pan and sprinkle the bottom with the remaining breadcrumbs. Place a layer of potato slices on the breadcrumbs (it's ok to overlap) and spread the meat mixture evenly on top. Cover with the remaining potato slices, and carefully pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, then sprinkle the cheese over the top, and continue to cook for another 15 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the moussaka from the oven and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes. Moussaka is traditionally eaten warm, not hot, can also be eaten at room temperature, and is great on the second day.

47

Lamb stew / Stufat de miel

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes (preparation: 10 minutes; cooking: 2030 minutes) Makes: 6 servings INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

• 2 pounds lamb ribs • 4 fresh scallion bunches • 2 fresh green garlic bunches • 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste • salt for seasoning • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Wash and chop the onions and the garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a big pot and saute together the meat with the onion and garlic.

Add water and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and simmer a couple more minutes.

Season with salt and (optionally - if you like more spicy foods) with ground black pepper.

48

Lamb White Sauce Stew/ Ciulama de miel

INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Lamb leg bones 200g white mirepoix Bouquet garni 250ml chicken stock Thyme 200g leg meat, cubed 100ml double cream 1 Savoy cabbage 250ml water Salt and white pepper 50g unsalted butter 1 clove garlic 5 baby carrots 5 baby leeks

DIRECTIONS Blanch the leg bones, refresh and make a goodquality white lamb stock with the mirepoix, bouquet garni, chicken stock and thyme. Slowly cook the leg meat in the stock until tender.

Drain the meat and reserve. Reduce the sauce with the cream until thickened. Return the meat to the sauce and check the seasoning.

Blanch the green, outside leaves of the cabbage in seasoned boiling water. Julienne the rest of the cabbage and sweat in unsalted butter with a sausages and garlic.

Check the seasoning and return to the lamb stew.

Once cool make the cabbage balls using clingfilm.

When set remove clingfilm and braise in the excess sauce. Serve with a baby carrot and leek.

49

Beef Tongue Stewed with Olives/ "Limba cu Masline"

INGREDIENTS: Cooking Tongue in Sauce: • 1 1/2 lb cooked tongue, sliced and cut in pieces • 4 TBS oil • 1 large onion, chopped fine • 3-4 TBS tomato paste( I used 4) • 2 TBS flour • 3 cups beef tongue stock( can substitute with some wine, if desired) • 3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly • 2 -3 bay leaves • 2 tsps fresh thyme(or cimbru), to taste and optional • 1 cup olives( I used pitted kalamata) • 1 tsp peppercorns, optional Thicken sauce if needed only: • with a bit of flour/water slurry* • *can use a gluten-free thickener for GF dish Season with: • freshly ground pepper • salt to taste • squeeze of lemon juice • fresh parsley(or chives), chopped

DIRECTIONS: Cover tongue with water and cook until tender (about 3 hours). Drain, reserving the liquid. Remove skin while it is still warm. Cut into 1/4" slices.

Sauté onions and garlic in the margarine, stirring frequently, until onions are soft. Gradually stir in the flour until it is smooth. For a thick sauce, add as much flour as the onion will absorb (or extend the sauce with extra liquid before serving).

Combine the liquids and add gradually to the onions, stirring all the while, until it comes close to boiling. You don't want it to get lumpy! Add the seasonings and then the tongue slices and the olives.

Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. Since it can easily stick to the pan, you may want to stir from time to time.

Serve with small boiled potatoes. Freezes well. Can be reheated in the oven at about 325° to 350°F. ENJOY! 50

Chicken Stew With Mushrooms / Tocăniță de pui cu ciuperci

• This chicken stew with mushrooms will really warm you up during the cold winter days. It is quick to make and the recipe is simple to master. It can be served over mashed potatoes or over rice.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 Tbsp. butter • 1 onion, chopped • 7-8 garlic cloves, minced • 2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice • 1 Tbsp. white flour

• 3 halves chicken breast (you can also use chicken thighs), cut into bite-sized pieces • 150 ml white wine + 100 ml water • 250 g sliced mushrooms • 150 g tomato paste (I used President’s Choice tomato paste with mushrooms) • 2 Tbsp. sour cream • 4 Tbsp. freshly chopped dill • Salt, pepper

DIRECTIONS: Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Meanwhile, season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and flour to the pan and stir quickly. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add 100 ml water and the wine so that the chicken is covered with liquid and let everything boil for 15 minutes, stirring once in a while.

Then, add the sliced mushrooms.

Stir in the tomato paste and let everything simmer for 5 more minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with a few tablespoons of juices from the pan. Pour the mixture in the pan and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add chopped dill and toss to combine. If necessary, add more salt and pepper.

We served the chicken stew over mashed potatoes.

51

Baked Whole Trout / Păstrăv la cuptor

• Rainbow trout is baked whole in the oven. It is flavored primarily with dill weed and lemon. Once done, the fish releases easily from the bones.

INGREDIENTS: • 2 whole rainbow trout fish, about 1 pound each (See Notes) • 2 lemons, divided use • Kosher salt • Lemon pepper • Garlic powder • Onion powder • 1 ounce fresh dill weed sprigs • Butter-flavored vegetable oil spray • Sweet Hungarian paprika • 1/2 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 475 F. Line a shallow baking pan with foil. Insert a flat baking rack into the pan.

Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry. Slice one of the lemons into rounds as thin as you can with a sharp knife.

Lightly sprinkle the cavities of the fish with salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Stuff 2 to 3 sprigs of the dill weed into the cavities of the trout and follow with half of the lemon slices.

Spray the entire skin of the fish with the butter vegetable oil. Place on rack in the prepared pan.

Spread dill sprigs over the skin and top with remaining lemon slices. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Pour wine down the side of the pan to coat the bottom under the rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Present the whole fish on a platter for your guests to admire before dividing to serve. The flesh and skin should easily separate from the carcass. To serve, sprinkle the fish filets lightly with paprika. Garnish with remaining lemon, cut into wedges, and a dill sprig.

52

Braised Pork, Horseradish Sauce / Carne de porc cu sos de hrean

INGREDIENTS • 4 8-ounce pork belly squares • find more delicious recipes at www.porkbeinspired.com • 5 clove garlic, minced • 4 bay leaves • 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish (optional) • salt and pepper • 1 Tbsp canola oil • 1 medium celery root, peeled and diced • 3 carrots, peeled and diced • 3 large white onions, trimmed and sliced • 1/2 c brown sugar • 3c red wine • 4c veal stock • 1c sour cream • 2 Tbsp horseradish • 1/3 c cornstarch

DIRECTIONS 1 Marinate pork in garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves and thyme for 8 to 12 hours.

2 When ready to cook, preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 3 Heat oil and brown pork on high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven, working in batches if necessary to brown all pieces well on all sides. Reduce heat to medium; add celery root, carrots, onion and brown sugar, and sauté, letting vegetables and pork caramelize. Add red wine to pot and simmer until reduced by half. Add stock, and cover with foil.

4 Transfer to oven and roast about 2 hours, until sauce is thickened and pork is fully cooked and able to shred easily. Meanwhile, stir together sour cream cream and horseradish.

5 Strain liquid from pot into a saucepan. Add a touch of water to 1/3 cup cornstarch to make a slurry.

Add half to slurry to liquid and bring to a boil, whisking.

Add more slurry if necessary to thicken.

6 To serve, place some vegetables on each plate, and top with a piece of pork. Top and surround with sauce, and add a spoonful of horseradish cream.

Garnish with thyme if desired.

53

Smoked Trout fishcakes/ Placintă de păstrăv afumat

• Baked “Pastrav Afumat” (Smoked Trout) fishcakes INGREDIENTS: • 600g of mashed potato (no butter or milk added) • 200g smoked trout • A bunch of parsley roughly chopped • A bunch of spring onions finely chopped • Some lemon zest (1 lemon) • Salt and pepper • 1 egg for the mixture • 1 egg for the coating process beaten in a shallow bowl • 1 packet of breadcrumbs, ‘panko” if you can find them, or home made slightly coarse ones.

DIRECTIONS: Cut and peel the potatoes (approx 650-700g before peeling and cooking) and boil in salted water.

As the potatoes boil, line the baking tray with aluminum foil or baking paper. Brush with oil. (do this before your hands are covered in potato fish mixture, which of course I have never tried to do at all). Beat the one egg in a shallow bowl. Cover a plate with a thick layer of breadcrumbs.

Cook the potatoes until they are nice and soft and “mash-able”.

Drain them and mash/crush with a fork. They do not need to be a perfect puree- a little potato texture is nice here. Don’t be tempted to blend or blitz or else you will end up with potato glue – handy for wallpapering but not what we want here. The potato mash should cool down fairly quickly – I speed things up by running cold water over them as I drain them in a colander. The mix should be cool when you add the fish.

Flake the fish, keeping an eye out for bones. Do this with your fingers because then you are more likely to feel any errant bones.

Mix in the parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper and one egg Scoop into little patties and mold with your hands.

With a fork and spoon dip into the beaten egg mixture and drop carefully onto the breadcrumbs. Roll around (the fishcakes not you) until coated and place on the baking tray.

54

Moldavian pan-fried pork/ Tochitură moldovenească

• Tochitură is a traditional Romanian dish like a stew made from beef, pork or chicken meats served with eggs, sheep cheese, tomato sauce, mămăligă and wine... ("so that the pork can swim or fly"- an old and so funny proverb of the Romanian people).

INGREDIENTS: • 300 g pieces of boneless pork meat • 300 g sliced fresh smoked sausages • 300 g sliced smoked ribs • 150 g sliced smoked bacon • a small piece of liver(optional) • 3 sliced large onions(or 3 bouquets of green/spring onions) • 6-7 sliced cloves of garlic(you can use less, if you think that's too much) • 100 ml white wine • 1 tsp sweet paprika • 1 tbsp pork lard • salt,pepper - on your taste

DIRECTIONS: Fry in hot lard the bacon, adding then paprika, meat and ribs; stir in, until bacon starts to melt.

Cover then all with enough amount of hot water.

Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally.

After about 20-30 min add sausages. With the pot being uncovered this time,still boil everything until the meat is almost done(easy roasted) and the liquid from the pot almost evaporated (during the boiling process, if necessary, you can add an extra amount of hot water).

Towards the end,add the white wine, onions and garlic. Stew them together with meat (not longer then 10 or 15 minutes),stirring often.

Now, add salt and pepper, on your own taste.

Serve as long as it is hot or warm, with a polenta, or polenta stuffed with potatoes, everything being accompanied by sheep cheese, fried eggs and seasonal salads(if not, your favorite pickles will be more than a perfect choice).

55

Grilled Trout/ Păstrăv la grătar

This is a traditional Romanian recipe for a classic dish of trout seasoned with salt and black pepper that's brushed with herbed butter before being grilled and served with lemons.

INGREDIENTS: • 6 small whole trout (with heads and tails), • cleaned and scaled 100g butter, • melted 1/2 tsp dried oregano, • crumbled 1/2 tsp basil • 1/2 tsp dried sage, • crumbled 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice lemon slices, to garnish salt and freshly-ground • black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS; Wash the trout and pat dry then season liberally with salt and black pepper, place in a dish, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. In the meantime, combine the melted butter with the oregano, basil and sage before seasoning with black pepper. When the hour is up, brush the trout liberally with the herbed butter then place on a grill pan. Pre-heat your grill (broiler) then place the fish underneath and cook for about 8 minutes per side (when turning brush the fish with more of the herbed butter).

The fish is done when it flakes easily. Transfer to a warmed plate, dress with the lemon juice then garnish with lemon slices and serve.

56

Romanian Easter Eggs / Ouă de Paște

Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes INGREDIENTS • 10-20 white eggs • fresh dill, parsley or lovage leaves • food dye

DIRECTIONS: It is very easy and all you need is an old pair of stockings, string, fresh dill, parsley or lovage leaves and dye. You can even make your own dye.

Cut the stockings up into pieces large enough to wrap around the eggs and place the leaves on the eggs. You can also use egg white as a glue to keep the leaves in place as you tie the stocking around the egg. Boil the eggs and then put them whith the stocking on into the dye. After the egg is dyed, you can take off the stocking and wipe away the leaves. We also like to rub some oil onto the eggs to make them shiny.

In Romania, they also use hot wax to draw motifs and symbols onto eggs before dying them. I had the pleasure of learning this technique with my friends who work at the local village museum. Using a special tool that is dipped into the melted wax, you draw the patterns onto each egg.

After the pattern is dried on the egg, you dip it into the dye and leave it for a few minutes. Then you hold the egg over a candle for a few seconds and wipe off the 57 wax leaving your beautiful design.

Turkey Breast Wrapped in Bacon/ Piept de curcan invelit in bacon

INGREDIENTS: • 1 ½ cup bread crumbs • ¼ cup chicken broth • 1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic • 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary • 2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano • 1 tsp grated lemon zest • ½ tsp kosher salt • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper • 400 sliced bacon • 1 boneless, skinless turkey breast, butterflied

DIRECTIONS: Pound the turkey breast to an even thickness.

Combine the stuffing ingredients in a bowl. The stuffing should be moist, mounding nicely on a spoon, but should not be sopping wet. Add more broth if needed.

Spread the stuffing evenly over the turkey breast.

Roll up the breast lengthwise to create a cylinder.

Arrange the bacon slices on a work surface in 6 tightly spaced parallel stripes, overlapping the ends of 2 slices to make each stripe.

Place the rolled turkey breast in the center of the bacon and then crisscross the bacon around the turkey. Tie the turkey with butcher’s twine to create a uniform roast and to secure the bacon.

Cook in a roasting pan on the grill with the lid closed as much as possible, until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF, turning occasionally to ensure the bacon gets crispy on all sides (1 to 1 ¼ hours). Let rest for 10 minutes, remove the string, slice and serve.

58

59

Romanian Easter Bread with Cheese /Pască

• Romanian Easter Bread with Cheese or pascaappears on the table with cozonac. Pasca is similar to Polish kolacz. The term “pasca” means Easter and can be confusing because it can refer to many different Eastern European breads and cheese desserts served at Easter time. The fun is in trying them all!

• Prep Time: 20 minutes • Cook Time: 1 hour • Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: • Dough: • 1 recipe Romanian cozonac (see below) • Cheese Filling: • 1 pound dry curd or farmers cheese or ricotta • 2 tablespoons soft butter • 1/4 cup granulated sugar • 3 large egg yolks + 1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten • 1 tablespoon flour • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla • Pinch salt • 3 ounces light or dark raisins

DIRECTIONS: Coat a 2-inch deep 10- or 12-inch round pan with cooking spray. Roll out cozonac dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Line the bottom and sides of the prepared pan, reserving a handful of dough.

With the reserved dough, make 2 long, pencil-thin ropes and twist them together. Place it around the edge of the dough. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cheese with a mixer and add all the ingredients except the raisins.

Beat until smooth, add raisins and mix again. When dough has risen, pour in the cheese filling, making sure it doesn’t go over the edges.

Baste cheese filling and dough border with remaining beaten egg yolk. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack and then remove from pan.

60 Enjoy !

Romanian Easter and Christmas Bread /Cozonac

•

Romanian cozonac is a slightly sweet yeastraised egg bread, similar to hoska, that is traditionally eaten for Easter, Christmas and New Year’s. Bulgarians call this bread kozunak.

It’s considered the Italian panettone of the Romanians. When the cozonac dough is filled with farmers cheese, it becomes a pasca, similar to a Polish kolacz.

•

Prep Time: 20 minutes

•

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS: •

2 1/2 tablespoons + 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

•

1/2 cup +1/2 cup + 1/4 cup milk

•

1 package active dry yeast

•

4 large egg yolks

•

3/4 cup superfine sugar

•

4 ounces light or dark raisins

•

Zest of 1 lemon

•

4 ounces melted butter

•

1 tablespoon dark rum

•

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•

1 tablespoon canola oil

•

1 ounce walnuts (optional)

•

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS: Scald 1/2 cup milk and stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.

Heat another 1/2 cup milk just until lukewarm. Do not scald. Place yeast in a small bowl and pour lukewarm milk over, stirring until dissolved. Add yeast mixture to flour paste and beat until large air bubbles appear.

Cover and let rise at least 15 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup milk to lukewarm. Do not overheat. Pour into a warmed large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Add, stirring after each ingredient, the egg yolks, sugar, raisins, zest, yeast mixture and flour.

Knead about 10 minutes by machine or 15-20 minutes with buttered hands while still in the bowl, adding butter as necessary to achieve a nonsticky, pliable, moist ball of dough. It will probably take about 3 ounces of butter. Save the rest.

Add rum, vanilla and oil and knead another 2-3 minutes. Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Punch down and with hands dipped in some of the reserved melted butter, knead another 5-10 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10- to 12-inch round pan that is at least 3 inches deep with cooking spray.

Using buttered hands, twist the dough and place in the pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan.

Mix 1 large egg yolk with 1 tablespoon cold water and brush top of dough. Sprinkle walnuts and a few raisins on the dough, if desired. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick tests clean or an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees.

Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. If you wish, while the cake is still hot, sprinkle with confectioners’ 61 sugar and walnuts.

Poale'n brâu pie/ Plăcintă cu brânză

•

One of the traditional recipes that make Romania’s name join the list of countries with the best dishes is a specific type of pie called in Romanian: "poale'n brâu".

This pie is specific for the area of Moldova (Moldavia). They are usually consumed in any circumstances, not related to holidays or other seasonal practices as in the case of other typical Romanian dishes.

INGREDIENTS: 500 grams of flour 100 grams of lard (or butter or oil) 4 egg yolks 100 grams of cream 60 g of yeast half teaspoon of salt 300 ml of milk 100 grams of sugar.

In addition to these in preparing the filling you will also need: 500 grams of cheese (or jam / fruits) If using cheese, add: 2 eggs a glass of milk 60 grams of cream 50 grams of sugar

DIRECTIONS: First work on the dough. Put the flour in a bowl and make a small hole in the middle for the crumbled yeast and the glass of warmish water. Stir gently to dissolve the yeast.

Then add the glass of oil, 100 g of sugar, half of the lemon zest and two eggs. Slowly incorporate the flour into this mix until obtaining an elastic, non-sticky dough. Knead energetically for a couple of minutes, than let it rest in a warm place until it doubles in volume.

After that, put some flour on the table or the work area and from the dough create a finger-thick layer using the rolling pin. Cut this layer into many squares with sides of around 15 cm.

Meanwhile prepare the stuffing. Mix the cheese with the raisins, one egg, 100 g of sugar, the rest of the lemon zest.

Make sure to press each corner so that they stay together.

Then, fold the corners of this new shape again to the middle.

Oil the baking tray or sheet and then place a thin layer of flour on it – or use special baking paper – and put the pies on top, leaving a few centimeters between them, as they will rise in the oven. Paint the pies with egg – the composition used for scrambled eggs, as it will give them a nice color. Then leave them for ten more minutes. After this, put them in the oven for half an hour. When they’re done, dust with icing sugar and serve.

62

Cottage Cheese Donuts/ Papanași

Papanasi (papa-nash), a 'donut' made from a soft dough with cottage cheese, shaped into a round, with or without a hole in the middle, and served with jam (usually sour cherry) and sour cream.. This is a traditional Moldavian recipe, but every region of Romania has its own version for this dessert.

INGREDIENTS: • 500 g (2 cups) cottage cheese with curd (or substitute paneer cheese with 1-2 tbsp of yogurt)** 2 eggs 1 tablespoon of lemon juice 200 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus another 1/2 cup for forming the donuts 100 g (1/2 cups) sugar 1 teaspoon of baking powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla sugar zest from 1/2 lemon (~1 tsp) enough vegetable oil to just barely cover the donuts Garnish sour cream or creme fraiche jam (sour cherry or raspberry)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat 1 inch of vegetable oil on burner at medium heat in a shallow frying pan.

Combine the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Add the lemon zest and mix through to combine.

Puree the cottage cheese or paneer with yogurt in a food processor until smooth. Add the lemon juice and eggs and process for another minute or two until the mixture is smooth.

Add the dry ingredients and pulse for another couple of minutes.

Forming the Papanasi The traditional forming method Using a spoon, form 8 pieces of dough and then roll each one of them until they take the shape of a disc, about 1/2 inch thick; make a hole in the middle of each disc and use the extra dough to form another 8, smaller, round-shaped pieces.

The 16 pieces of dough will be fried in hot cooking oil for about 5-6 minutes, until they get a golden-brown color.

Once the first side is cooked, turn over and repeat on the other side .At the end of this process you will have eight large donuts and eight smaller ones which are more rounded.

63

Fresh herb & urda pancakes/ Plăcintă cu urdă si verdeață

Just when I hought urda (Ricotta) gnocchi were my new favorite thing, here come light & fluffy little urdapancakes with all kinds of verdeata (green herbs) in them, a smidgeon of flour and lots of protein for the folk that like to keep their carb count low. For Gluten intolerants, just make with 50g of corn flour/cornstarch/amidon and you are all set.

INGREDIENTS, makes 6 – 8 pancakes • eggs 3 • urda or branza dulce would also work 250g • plain flour or amidon 50g • olive oil 2 tablespoons • chopped spring onions, parsley, dill, basil, chervil, leurda…whatever you find in the market 2 generous handfuls as you want a lot of green stuff not just a nod to herbdom • salt and pepper and a quarter tsp of nutmeg • Gadgets & Gizmos • A mixing bowl, a frying pan or griddle and a fork and spoon.

Child’s play level of equipment required for these little morsels.

DIRECTIONS: Roughly chop all your greenery.

Gently break up the ricotta/urda cheese and mash with a fork. I sometimes add a tablespoon of yoghurt or milk to make sure the mixture is not too dry.

Mix in gently the eggs, flour, oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Heat your best frying pan and oil it according to how it usually behaves – good trusty frying pans require very little oil, ones that you accidentally keep washing with detergent (see washing up is bad on so many counts!) and stick like crazy require a vast puddle of oil.

Add generous tablespoons of mix and just pat them down a little with the back of the spoon onto the pan. When they are light brown gently flip them over taking care not to break them – they can be a little fragile – and cook until both sides are golden. Total cooking time is 3-5 minutes.

Place on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Serve warm with toppings or just munch them as they are. Make teeny weeny ones as canapés with a dollop of sour cream and a piece of smoked salmon. Pour over a home made tomato sauce and sprinkle with parmesan for a fast wholesome supper. Lots of ideas and variations to play with!

64 Enjoy !

Romanian Savarin / Savarină / Romanian Baba au Rhum

This recipe for Romanian savarin, savarina in Romanian, is virtually identical to French baba au rhum and Polish rum-soaked babka without raisins.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes • Cook Time: 30 minutes • Rising time: 1 hour • Total Time: 2 hours Ingredients: • Cake: • 7 g active dry yeast • 50 ml warm milk • 350 g all-purpose flour • 4 large room-temperature eggs • 15 g sugar • Pinch salt • 175 g room-temperature unsalted butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla • Zest of 1/2 lemon (optional) • Rum Syrup: • 300 g sugar • 600 ml water • 50 ml rum • Juice of 1/2 lemon • Garnish: • 450 ml heavy whipped cream • 4 tablespoons sugar • Apricot preserves (optional) • Maraschino cherries or other fruits

DIRECTIONS: Make the rum syrup first. In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, melt 100 g of sugar to a very light caramel, without stirring but swirling occasionally. Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the hot burner. Add the water and remaining 200 g sugar, mix and let sit until everything is melted. Let cool completely before adding rum and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

To make the dough: Dissolve yeast in warm milk. In a large bowl or stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine flour, yeast-milk mixture, eggs, sugar and salt. The dough will be soft and sticky, and that is perfect. Add the softened butter, vanilla and lemon zest, if using, and mix again. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume.

Heat oven to 150 C / 300 F. Butter a mini Bundt pan or cupcake pan. If the pan isn't nonstick, sprinkle the buttered pan with bread or cake crumbs. Divide the dough equally into the wells of the pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until the dough reaches the top of the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.

Remove cakes from pan and pour some of the syrup into the bottom of each well. Dip the bottoms of the cakes in the syrup in the saucepan and replace the cakes into the baking tin.

Pour remaining syrup over the cakes until it is completely gone.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve: Whip the cream and sugar until it holds a peak. Either slice buns in half horizontally and spread the bottom half with apricot preserves and then 65 whipped cream, replacing the top.

Romanian Apricot and Blueberry Cake - Prăjitură cu Caise și Afine

• This Romanian coffee cake recipe uses self-rising flour and eggs as the leavening ingredients, not yeast, making it very easy to prepare. Here, I have used apricots and blueberries to give it a little extra punch. In Romanian, it would be known as prăjitură cu caise si afine.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes • Cook Time: 45 minutes

DIRECTIONS:

• Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, and set aside.

INGREDIENTS: • 5 ounces/150 grams farmer's cheese or dry curd cheese • 3 tablespoons milk • 3 tablespoons oil • 2 large eggs

• 3 ounces/75 grams superfine sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 3 1/2 ounces/200 grams blueberries • 8 ounces/250 grams self-rising flour • 15 apricots, halved and pitted, sprinkled with a little lemon juice to prevent browning • 1 cup blueberries, rinsed and stemmed • Confectioners' sugar for garnish

In a medium bowl, place farmer's cheese, milk, oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla, and beat together until smooth.

Stir in half of the blueberries and the flour, mixing just until combined. Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Arrange the apricot halves, cut side down, and the blueberries in a pretty pattern on top of the batter, pressing down slightly. Place cake pan on a sheet pan to catch any drips. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.

Remove from oven and cool slightly before cutting. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

May be served warm or cold.

66 Enjoy !

Mucenici/Romanian Dessert

Dough Ingredients: • 1 pound bread flour • 3 eggs • 3 teaspoons dry yeast • 1 cup milk • 5 oz (150 g) butter • 5 oz (150 g) sugar Decoration ingredients: • 9 oz (250 g) grounded walnuts • honey • 1 egg Syrup Ingredients: • 1 cup water • 5 oz (150 g) sugar • grated lemon peel • rum extract • vanilla extract Syrup Preparation: • Boil the water with sugar, vanilla and rum extract. Simmer until it becomes thicker.

• Let it cool and add the grated lemon zest.

Preparation: • Prepare the syrup as a first step before proceeding to prepare the dough, so you can have it ready when the mucenici are out of the oven.

• Prepare the dough

DIRECTIONS: Beat 3 eggs + 3 yolks with sugar, salt. Add lemon zest, rum and vanilla. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

Mix the dry yeast with the flour.

Pour luke-warm milk into the eggs' composition and then pour the resulting mixture over the flour mixed with the yeast.

Add slowly the melted butter and knead the dough until it can easily separate from the hands. Add the raisins and knead some more.

Cover and let it rest in a warm place until the size of the dough doubles.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into small ball.

Flour a table and roll every ball until become a string (thick as a finger). Make a circle and twist it into an eight figure.

Grease a baking tray with butter and flour the surface.

Put the mucenici on the tray and let them rise at warm for about 20 minutes.

Prepare a beaten egg with some milk and brush over the top of mucenici.

Preheat the oven and bake about 30-40 minutes at 350 F (until they become golden-brown).

Put the mucenici on a serving plate with higher borders and pour 2-3 tablespoons syrup on each of them. Spread honey on the top and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts. Put enough syrup on the plate so the mucenici are soaked. Keep the plate cover to prevent them from drying.

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Romanian Apple Cake/ Tort de mere

INGREDIENTS:  5 apples, peeled and cored 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 3/4 cup oil 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 cups flour 3/4 cup walnuts

DIRECTIONS 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Cut the apples into 1 inch wedges.

Set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until blended. Mix in the baking soda, oil, cinnamon and vanilla.

Stir in the flour, just until incorporated.

Fold in the apples and walnuts.

3.Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly. May be served warm or at room 68 temperature.

Romanian Salami Cookie / Salam De Biscuiți

Salam de Biscuiti, or unbaked cookies made to look like slices of salami, are popular at Christmas time in Romania.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes • Refrigerate before serving: 7 hours • Total Time: 7 hours, 30 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 4 tablespoons milk • 200g / 7 ounces Turkish delight, chopped • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa • 400g / 14 ounces butter biscuits (like Petite Beurre), broken into very coarse crumbs • 300g / 10.5 ounces walnuts toasted and chopped when cool • 2 teaspoons rum extract or 1 shot of dark rum • 150g / 5.29 ounces softened butter • 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar • 2 large pasteurized eggs, separated

• 200g / 7 ounces pitted sour cherries from liqueur, drained and coarsely chopped • 1 (100g / 3.5-ounce) package very fine dried coconut

DIRECTIONS: In a large saucepan, heat milk with Turkish delight until candy starts to melt and reduce in size.

Remove from the heat.

To the saucepan, add 1/2 of the cocoa, 1/2 of the biscuits, 1/2 of the walnuts, and half of the rum.

Mix thoroughly and set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the softened butter with 5 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and 2 egg yolks.

Add this to the ingredients in the saucepan and mix thoroughly.

Add in the rest of the rum, cocoa, biscuits, walnuts and the coarsely chopped sour cherries.

Whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and blend into the mixture.

Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar and shredded coconut on a large piece of plastic wrap. Put the dough in the middle and roll it up in the plastic wrap, forming it into the shape of a salami. Wrap tightly and refrigerate 6 to 7 hours. Remove plastic wrap and cut into 1/2" slices when ready to serve.

69 Enjoy !

Romanian peach-blueberry pie / Plăcintă cu piersici și afine

This recipe for Romanian peach-blueberry pie or tart is known as tarta cu piersici si afine or plăcintă cu piersici si afine. It is made with a buttery crust and the fruit filling is brought together in an unusual way -- with a loose meringue.

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 ounces/200 g all-purpose flour • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder • 6.53 ounces/185 g cold unsalted butter, chopped • 5.29 ounces/150 g superfine sugar • 2 large eggs, separated • 3 large peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices • Lemon juice • 10.58 ounces/300 g fresh blueberries, rinsed and stemmed • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 teaspoon lemon zest • Confectioners' sugar for garnish

DIRECTION:: Process flour, baking powder, butter and half of the sugar in a food processor until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 2 egg yolks and process until mixture forms a ball. Dough will be soft. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Divide dough in half and cover one half with plastic wrap and refrigerate it while you work with the first half. Roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper or silicone mats. Fit dough into a 8-inch/20 cm pie plate and refrigerate while you make the filling.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F./180 degrees C. To make filling, bring a pot of water to boil and lower the peaches into simmering water. Blanch until skins can be peeled easily. Remove from heat and shock in cold water. Peel peaches, pit and slice into 1/2-inch slices.

Sprinkle with lemon juice so they don't turn brown.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add remaining sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Fold in blueberries, peach slices, vanilla and lemon zest until combined. Turn into chilled pastry shell.

Roll remaining dough between parchment or silicone mats and fit over the filling, sealing the edges and fluting them, if desired. Cut a slit in the center of the pastry. Optional: Brush with a beaten egg yolk.

Bake for 50 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve warm or cold dusted with confectioners' sugar.

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