Paska

Easter Bread - Paska

1 recipe, makes 3 loaves of bread, 3 Kalachas & 1 longosha (cabbage pie) &  1 portion of Babalki (or 8 loaves of bread) (or 8 Kalachas).

For holidays I make two recipes, one of just bread, one of Kalachas, longosha & Babalki for 4 people (freeze leftovers or  give away to friends)

5 lbs of unbleached flour in very large bowl or soup pot (put oven on warm for 15 minutes shut off & put pot in (covered) for 1 hour before starting, to warm flour) Cut in 1 stick of butter or marg. into flour, keep warm.

In large glass bowl dissolve 3 pkg of yeast (or 3 3/4 tsps dry loose bulk yeast) in 1 cup warm water, beat in 3 room temperature eggs, scald 2 cans evaporated milk, cool slightly, add 2 cups warm water, mix all together with eggs & yeast, add 8 tblsp Honey, 2 tblsp sugar (for sweeter dough add a little more), & 1 tblsp salt, to yeast mixture (optional a little yellow food color), let bubble.

Slowly add to warm flour, oil hands well, knead for 15 minutes. Put into a large oiled bowl or soup pot, cover with saran wrap let rise in that same warm oven till double in size.

Punch it down, put back in pot let rise again. Punch down work dough, should be smooth & elastic.  Cut with knife into 8 buns.

Grease loaf pans.  Shape 3 buns into loaves, put into loaf pans. Slash top with knife, let rise in warm place till double.

Brush with 1 beaten egg.  Bake  350-400 degrees for 30 minutes.  When done rub butter all over loaf to keep crust soft.

Wrap in plastic bag to store.  (the beaten egg brushed on the dough before cooking makes everything look shiny & brown like it was varnished & new) (the butter rubbed on after cooking keeps the crust soft to cut easier)

Kalacha

Roll out separately, the three other buns of dough made above, into large rectangle spread with filling of your choice right to edges, start rolling from one edge till it looks like a snake, seal edges, set on cookie sheet. Let rise 15 minutes brush with egg. Bake 350 oven for 20 minutes, brush with butter to keep crust soft.

Fillings:

Walnut Filling

2 egg whites beaten stiff
1 lb nuts ground
1/2 cup sugar
1 tblsp melted butter
1/4 teas vanilla, mix together if too thick add a little milk.

You can buy prepared poppy seed filling or apricot filling, the varieties are endless.

Lekvar (Prune Filling)

I take dry prunes put into a large jar,  cover with water,   put into microwave or cook for about 10 minutes then let it set till cool.

Pour off liquid (but save it)  put  prunes into blender and puree till smooth (you can add sugar  but not necessary)  That's it!  If it's too thick add a little of the juice  if too thin you can cook it more also the sugar will thicken it a little too. 

Babalki- Good job for the kids!

Take last bun of dough, pinch off tiny pieces (large marble sized) to make balls, place on buttered cookie sheet bake till lightly brown.

In large sauce pan melt 1 stick butter add 1 can solo poppy seed filling, & 1 cup evaporated milk  mix well add 1/2 cup sugar, stir add all the little balls of dough, stir till coated, let set.

The old timers used to grate lemon or orange rind into it too.  Can be served warm or cold.

Longosha - Pagac - Cabbage Pie

Chop 1/2 head med cabbage up finely saute' in butter & salt, add 1 onion finely chopped, cook till soft & browned.

Let cool.

Roll the remaining bun out in to a circle (like a pizza) thin on a well floured board.  Transfer to buttered cookie sheet,  Spread cabbage on 1/2 of circle, fold dough over to cover cabbage pinch edges to form a crust.

Pierce holes all over with fork in top layer, brush with beaten egg, Bake 375 for 10 minutes, turnover bake 4-5 more till golden brown, butter outside crust.

Cool, cut like pizza into wedges.  Sprinkle with XXX sugar