There are so many lovely traditions surrounding Pascha, for Orthodox Christians! It may come as no surprise to you, that my favorite is a delicious spreadable cheese. It is, and I kid you not, OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious. And so easy to make. I always include my oldest daughter in the making of it. She loves to cook, and I hope that she will fondly remember making cheese Paska every year during Holy Week as a tradition. (And, of course, eating it on Pascha!!)
My husband tells this story from his childhood. His mother had brought him to the Holy Nativity Convent for Paschal services. Everyone had been keeping the Lenten fast (we eat no dairy, meat, and most days no oil or fish), and by the time Liturgy is over, very early in the morning, he was starving! There was a huge trapeza of all the foods they hadn't had for Lent, including, of course, a big bowl of cheese Paska! This was his favorite. He was over the moon excited....until, to his horror, he saw someone else grab the bowl and start eating it as if it were his own personal bowl. Sadly, Andrew watched, as the man finished it off. I think the guy simply didn't know it was a spread. No cheese Paska for little Andrew that year...
My husband tells this story from his childhood. His mother had brought him to the Holy Nativity Convent for Paschal services. Everyone had been keeping the Lenten fast (we eat no dairy, meat, and most days no oil or fish), and by the time Liturgy is over, very early in the morning, he was starving! There was a huge trapeza of all the foods they hadn't had for Lent, including, of course, a big bowl of cheese Paska! This was his favorite. He was over the moon excited....until, to his horror, he saw someone else grab the bowl and start eating it as if it were his own personal bowl. Sadly, Andrew watched, as the man finished it off. I think the guy simply didn't know it was a spread. No cheese Paska for little Andrew that year...
The Recipe: Cheese Paska
You will need:
a blender
cheesecloth (you can find this at most supermarkets with the measuring cups and bakeware)
Ingredients:
3 lbs dry curd farmer's cheese (some supermarkets carry it, but you can always find it at a Russian market), grated fine
16 oz sour cream
3 cups whipping cream
3 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
vanilla
For the decoration:
golden raisins
a blender
cheesecloth (you can find this at most supermarkets with the measuring cups and bakeware)
Ingredients:
3 lbs dry curd farmer's cheese (some supermarkets carry it, but you can always find it at a Russian market), grated fine
16 oz sour cream
3 cups whipping cream
3 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
vanilla
For the decoration:
golden raisins
1. Fill a small bowl with water and put the cheesecloth in to soak.
2. Combine all ingredients. Blend together.
3. Line a sieve with a triple layer of the pre-soaked cheesecloth and fill with the mixture. (I did not have a sieve big enough, so I lined a large bowl with the cheesecloth, filled it, and tied it up into my refrigerator.)
2. Combine all ingredients. Blend together.
3. Line a sieve with a triple layer of the pre-soaked cheesecloth and fill with the mixture. (I did not have a sieve big enough, so I lined a large bowl with the cheesecloth, filled it, and tied it up into my refrigerator.)
4. Cover loose ends with cheesecloth and place over a pan to collect drips of whey as they drip out. Keep in fridge for a few days at least.
5. When you are ready, place in a mold, or into a decorative bowl, and add golden raisins and slivered almonds to decorate! Easy! Note: you may want to add a little more vanilla right before you mold it. Some tends to drip out along with the whey.
Holy week is so crazy, with all the services and preparations for the feast, but you can work this in easy! And you will not regret it! Spread it on some kulich or tsoureki for heaven in your mouth.
Holy week is so crazy, with all the services and preparations for the feast, but you can work this in easy! And you will not regret it! Spread it on some kulich or tsoureki for heaven in your mouth.