Monday 13 October 2014

Orasnik - Orasnik (Traditional Serbian Walnut Pie)

Orasnik je svečarski slatkiš koji su spremale naše bake. Nastao kao jedna od mnogobrojnih verzija čuvene baklave. Svaka domaćica ima neki svoj "tajni" sastojak ili caku, mada su svi recepti vrlo slični - tanke, paperjaste korice testa i fil od oraha.

Ovo je varijanta koju sam nasledila. Prvo umesiti testo za korice. U posudu za mešenje staviti 700g brašna, pa od te količine odvaditi jednu šolju brašna, koja se naknadno dodaje u testo u malim porcijama da bi se fino podesila struktura.

Zatim u posudu sa brašnom dodati 2 ravne kašičice sode bikarbone, promešati, dodati 300ml ledene vode, 150ml ulja. Zamesiti glatko, ne mnogo tvrdo testo koje se ne lepi za zidove posude. U toku mešenja dodavati po malo od onog izdvojenog brašna iz šolje - ne mora da se utroši cela količina ako procenite da bi bilo suviše tvrdo. Testo izručiti na radnu površinu posutu brašnom, rukom grubo oblikovati valjak dužine oko 20cm. Od ove količine treba napraviti 12 jufkica približno iste veličine na jedan od sledećih načina:
- izmeriti ukupnu masu testa, podeliti sa 12 i dobićete kolika treba da je masa jedne jufkice, pa od testa rukom kidati komade da svaki ima tu masu,
- brži način je da se rukom grubo oblikuje valjak koji se preseče na pola, svaku polovinu preseći na pola, a onda se dobijene četvrtine seku na tri jednaka dela i eto 12 komada. Svaku jufkicu uviti u providnu foliju, na taj način izbegavamo da se povšina osuši. i formira korica, koja bi smetala kasnije, pri razvlačenju. Ostaviti da odstoje bar 15 minuta na sobnoj temperaturi. 

Dok testo "odmara" pripremiti fil. Pomešati 40 kašika mlevenih oraha, 2 kesice vanilinog šećera, 5-6 kašika seckanih (tucanih) oraha, 20 kašika šećera.

Pleh veličine 22x32cm podmazati sa malo masti. Lopticu testa sa svih strana posuti brašnom, radnu površinu takođe posuti brašnom, rukom spljeskati testo u približno pravougaoni oblik a zatim prstima lagano razvlačiti do veličine pleha, povlačeći od sredine ka ivici. Korica bude prilično tanka, može da se desi i da pukne, ali ne mari. Rastanjenu koricu prebaciti preko brašnom posute oklagije i preneti u pleh. U plehu rasporediti koricu da pokrije celu površinu, ne mora da bude savršeno ravno, nabori se neće ni primetiti. Korice mogu i oklagijom da se rastanje. Meni je lakše da ih rukom razvučem, teglim. Preko korice posuti 3-5 kašika fila. Razvući sledeću koricu, staviti u pleh preko fila od oraha, posuti filom i tako redom slagati koricu pa posipati filom, da se sve utroši. Poslednju koricu ne treba posipati filom.

Oštrim nožem iseći kocke veličine 3-4cm (potpuno zaseći pitu, do dna pleha). Zagrejati malo ulja ili putera da bude vrelo. Kašičicom zaliti orasnik po mestima gde je sečeno. Složen, isečen orasnik ostaviti bar 15min da odstoji, peći u zagrejanoj rerni na 180°C. Gotov je kada lepo porumeni. Pečeni orasnik ostaviti da se lagano hladi. Za to vreme skuvati sirup od 750g šećera i 450ml vode. Kada provri, ostaviti da vri još 2-3 minuta da se šećer potpuno rastvori. Skloniti sa ringle, dodati sveže isceđen sok dva limuna. Vrelim sirupom lagano preliti topao orasnik. Ostaviti do sutradan da upije sokove. Mada, ako ne biste da čekate toliko, sačekajte bar par sati da se ohladi.

Možda Vam se učini da je to sa razvlačenjem korica suviše sporo i komplikovano, ali uopšte nije. Pokušajte, uverite se... Krajnji rezultat je savršen slatkiš.

Sastojci:
za korice - 700g brašna + za posipanje, 150ml ulja, 2 kašičice sode bikarbone,
za fil - 40 kašika mlevenih oraha, 5-6 kašika seckanih (tucanih) oraha, 20 kašika šećera, 2 kesice vanilinog šećera,
za sirup - 750g šećera, 2 limuna.

Orasnik (Traditional Serbian Walnut Pie)

Orasnik, once was the festive sweet treat of our grandmothers. We might say it is one of the many versions of the famous baklava. Obviously it was developed as the Ottoman influence over Serbian cuisine.  Some  claim to has their own "secret" ingredient or a catch, but all recipes are basically similar - fine, thin layers of fresh dough altered with a walnut filling.

This is the version that I make: First make the dough for the layers. In a bowl measure 700g of flour, remove one cup of this amount and set aside. This cup of flour would be added in small batches, while kneading the dough, in order to finely adjust the dough structure. In a bowl with the flour add 2 teaspoons of baking soda, stir, add 300ml of ice cold water, 150ml of oil. Using your hands knead smooth dough that does not stick to the walls of the bowl. While kneading add a bit of the flour from the cup - do not necessarily use the whole amount, if it would harden the dough too much. Dust the working surface with some flour, transfer the dough from a bowl, sprinkle with some flour, roughly form a roll about 20cm long. Make 12 balls approximately the same size, using one of the following methods:
- Measure total mass of dough, divide by 12 and you'll get a mass of one piece, then pull apart the dough pieces, weigh them to check if the mass is correct.  
- A faster way is to cut the dough log into 2 equal pieces, each piece cut in half, and each quart cut in three, so you'll get 12 almost equal balls. Wrap each piece of dough with clingfilm to prevent forming the crust, let it set for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.

Meanwhile prepare the filling. Mix 40 tablespoons ground walnuts, 2 sachets vanilla sugar, 5-6 tablespoons chopped walnut, 20 tablespoons sugar.

Grease the baking tray (22x32cm) with some lard. Take one ball of dough, dust the working surface and all sides of the dough ball with some flour, flatten the dough by hand into approximately rectangular shape. Using your fingers, gently stretch the dough on all sides, starting from a center, and working around. Stretch it until you almost reach the size of the baking tray, and the crust gets thin. One more note, if the crust gets teared a bit, it's not a big deal. Don't give up! It's a matter of experience, but it won't be noticed when baked. Dust the rolling pin with some flour, put the crust over the rolling pin and transfer into a baking tray. Using your hands, arrange the crust to cover the surface of the tray, it doesn't have to be perfectly flat,  wrinkles and rip wouldn't been noticed. If it is easier for you, the crust can be rolled with a rolling pin. Sprinkle 3-5 tablespoons of filling over the crust. Stretch another layer of crust and put it over the walnut filling, sprinkle over another batch of filling, and continue to alter the layers of dough and filling until all 12 layers of dough and the filling are used. Do not put the filling over the last crust layer. 

With a sharp knife cut 3-4cm sized squares. Heat some oil or butter, and pour it with a teaspoon over the knife traces.  Let the pie set at least 15min before baking. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake your Orasnik until golden brown, leave to cool slightly. Now, cook the sugar syrup. In a pot put 750g sugar and 450ml water, bring to a boil on a medium high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, to completely dissolve sugar. Remove from the heat, add freshly squeezed juice of two lemons. Slowly pour hot syrup over the warm pie. Serve the next day, when the syrup is partially soaked in. If you are impatient, wait at least a couple of hours to cool down and then try the pie.

Maybe this recipe seems to be complicated and time consuming, in fact everything goes quite easy. Give it a try! The end result is a perfect walnut pie Orasnik.  

Ingredients:
for the crust - 700g flour + more for dusting, 150ml oil, 2 teaspoons baking soda,
for the filling - 40 tablespoons ground walnuts, 5-6 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 20 tablespoons sugar, 2 sachets vanilla,
for the sugar syrup - 750g sugar, 2 lemons.