Romanian culture follows many traditions, especially around the holidays. Cookbook author Irina Georgescu, who now lives in Wales, began a journey of discovery into why certain dishes were eaten in Romania.
"We are a culture of wheat," she says. "Everything that is special is translated into wheat and bread." In Moldova, on Romania's eastern border, people often mix cornmeal with flour. Georgescu describes a cornbread leavened with yeast. For special occasions, bakers will decorate loaves of bread with elaborate designs. You'll find a pair of birds on a wedding loaf while money bags, locks, and horseshoe shapes are hung from the Tree of Life at funerals, symbolizing good wishes to the departed on their journey to the afterlife.
In the spring, immature curd cheese — which isn't available any other time of the year — is integrated into dishes. Lamb, often seen on Easter tables, is also used nose-to-tail in Romanian cooking. Georgescu reminisces about her favorite desserts and baked recipes while surveying the Romanian table in "Tava." It earned a 2023 James Beard Media Award in the Baking and Desserts cookbook category.
Curd Cheese and Golden Raisin Pie
Plăcintă cu brânză
Serves 8
This is the second most-famous sweet pie in Romania, gently scented with lemon zest and golden raisins (sultanas). Together with its twin sister the apple pie, they make an interchangeable duo on Romanian tables. You can swap the fillings easily for a slightly different variation.
Ingredients
- 350 g (12 oz/23⁄4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil 120 ml (4 fl oz/1⁄2 cup) full-fat milk, lukewarm
FOR THE FILLING
- 250 g (9 oz/1 generous cup) full-fat curd cheese (Romanian brânză de vaci or ricotta)
- 80 g (3 oz/1⁄3 cup) crème fraîche 1 large egg
- 80 g (3oz/1⁄3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 100 g (31⁄2 oz/generous 3⁄4 cup) golden raisins (sultanas)
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 40 g (11⁄2 oz/1⁄3 cup) fine semolina
TO FINISH
- 2 teaspoons melted butter mixed with 2 teaspoons milk, for brushing icing (confectioner’s) sugar, for dusting
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (non-fan)/350°F/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a non-stick baking tin (pan), 18 x 24 cm (7 x 91⁄2 in) and at least 6 cm (21⁄4 in) deep.
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In a mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and milk. Add the wet mixture to the flour, kneading until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature while you prepare the filling.
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To make the filling, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Split the ball of dough in half and roll out one half to the shape of the baking tin. Evenly press the dough into the tin with your fingers, prick it all over with a fork, then bake for 10 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and spread the filling on top of the pastry. Roll out the other half of the dough to the size of the tin and place it on top of the pie to cover. Make sure it goes all the way to the edges of the dish. Prick with a fork and brush with the butter mixture.
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Bake for 45 minutes, covering the top with kitchen foil if it turns too dark.
Allow to cool in the tin covered with a clean cloth. This pie reaches its ideal consistency after 3 hours of resting, or even the next day. Cut into small slices and dust with icing sugar to serve.
Now living in Wales, Irina Gerogescu missed the food her Romanian mother and grandmother cooked. Photo by Matt Russell.
Cookbook author Irina Georgescu reminisces about her favorite desserts and baked recipes while surveying the Romanian table in "Tava." Photo courtesy of Hardie Grant.