Romanian Easter pască

Name: Romanian Easter pască
Ingredients: 550 g white flour; 150 g sugar; 25 g fresh yeast; 8 g vanilla sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 egg yolks; 50 g margarine; 1 medium lemon (grated zest); 50 ml oil; 250 ml milk; 750 g farmer cheese; 3 large eggs; 4 tablespoons semolina; 150 g granulated sugar; 100 g raisins; 100 ml lukewarm water; 1 teaspoon rum essence; 20 g candied orange peel; 2 egg whites; 10 g candied orange peel; 10 g sugar crystals

Dessert - Romanian Easter pască by Florenta I. - Recipia

Romanian Easter pască is a dessert made with yeasted dough and a filling of sweet farmer cheese, raisins and orange peel. It bakes until the cheese filling sets, and after cooling the top may crack, leaving the dough cross visible. I slice it cold, into thick pieces. Prep: 60 minutes. Cook: 50 minutes. Rest: 4 hours and 45 minutes. Total time: 6 hours and 35 minutes. Serves: 12. About 530 kcal and 19 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the dough

550 g white flour
150 g sugar
25 g fresh yeast
8 g vanilla sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
50 g margarine
1 medium lemon (grated zest)
50 ml oil
250 ml milk

For the filling

750 g farmer cheese
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons semolina
150 g granulated sugar
100 g raisins
100 ml lukewarm water
1 teaspoon rum essence
20 g candied orange peel

For brushing and decorating

2 egg whites
10 g candied orange peel
10 g sugar crystals

Preparation

1. Put the yeast in a large bowl with the salt and 1 tablespoon of the sugar for the dough. Stir until it turns liquid. 2. Add the lukewarm milk, the remaining sugar for the dough, the vanilla sugar, melted margarine, egg yolks and grated lemon zest. Stir, then gradually work in the flour, drizzling in the oil from time to time. 3. Knead the dough for 25 minutes. Dust it with a little flour, cover it and leave it to rise for 2 hours, until it has tripled in size. 4. Pour the lukewarm water over the raisins and rum essence. Leave them to soak for 15 minutes, then drain well. 5. Beat the farmer cheese with the sugar for the filling, the eggs and semolina until you have a fluffy cream. Fold in the raisins and 20 g of candied orange peel. 6. Line a 26 cm round pan with baking paper. Divide the dough in two and roll out one half, then place it in the pan. 7. Divide the remaining dough in two. Use one half to line the sides of the pan a little, pour in the filling and level it with a spoon. Shape the other half into a cross and place it in the center. 8. Beat the egg whites left over from the dough and brush the dough with them. Decorate with 10 g of candied orange peel and the sugar crystals. Cover the pască and leave it to rise for another 30 minutes. 9. Heat the oven to 170°C. Bake the pască for 50 minutes, until the dough is golden and the filling has set. Leave it to cool in the pan for 2 hours, then transfer it to a platter.

Notes

Drier farmer cheese holds the filling together better. If it is wet, leave it to drain before beating. Very dry raisins can soak for longer, but drain them well before mixing them with the cheese. In a 26 cm round pan, the dough and cross keep their shape well, like a cozonac with an open top. The 50 g of margarine can be replaced with 50 g of melted butter. The yeasted dough is reminiscent of cozonac, but each slice also has a thick layer of cheese. Pasca contains gluten, dairy and eggs. Mine cracked after cooling, so the surface may have a few cracks. I serve it plain, with black tea. Keep it covered in the fridge and eat it within 3 days.