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Rus: Zakuski the Appetizers of the Rus - Part 2 - Page 5

© Dr. Donald R. Houston

Top with a sprig of dill & serve with additional sour cream on the side,

ORIGIN: Milla Gorlaeva, Tula-Russia, circa 1994

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Title: Kerkshi Shemtsvari Kvertskhi - Skewered Eggs
Categories: Georgian, Egg, Ethnic, Appetizer
Yield: 6 Servings

24 ea Eggs raw in shell
1/4 c Salt
3 tb Pepper 3 tb Nutmeg ground
8 ea Garlic cloves minced

1. Prepare a bed of charcoal fire-up then reduce to coals.

2. Place ends of metal skewers in hot coals until glowing.

3. Using hot skewers carefully pierce shells of raw eggs lengthwise 1 egg per skewer.>br>
4. Place eggs over coals & grill until firm, approx. 10-12 mins. depending on heat of fire.

5. Mix garlic, salt, pepper, & nutmeg together in a small bowl

*NOTE: Eggs are usually dipped in this mixture or they may be dipped into wet sauces as well.

ORIGIN: Dr. Gyorgiy Desemashsvili, Tbilisi-Georgia, circa 2003

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Title: Vatrushki - Pot Cheese Tartlets
Categories: Cheese, Ethnic, Russian, Ukrainian, Dessert
Yield: 6 Servings

DOUGH
1 3/4 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
4 tb Unsalted butter
1 ea Egg
1/2 c Sour cream

FILLING
1 lb Large-curd pot cheese
1/2 ts Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1 tb Sour cream
2 ea Eggs

DOUGH:
Sift flour, baking powder & salt into a large mixing bowl.
Make a deep well in center of flour & drop in egg, sour cream & butter.
Using your fingers, slowly mix the flour into liquid ingredients then beat vigorously with a wooden spoon.

FILLING:
Drain cheese by placing it is a colander, covering it with a double thickness of cheesecloth or a kitchen towel & weighting it with a heavy dish on top.
Allow to drain undisturbed for 2-3 hrs., then with back of a large spoon, rub cheese through a sieve or strainer.

Vatrushki:
On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a circle of about 1/8" thick.
With a 4" cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as possible.
Gather remaining scraps into a ball, roll it out again & cut out additional circles until dough is used up.

ORIGIN: Dr. Leda Ruslanova, Almaty-Kazakhstan, circa 2003

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Title: Syrniki - Sweet Cheese Fritters
Categories: Ukrainian, Russian, Cheese, Sidedish
Yield: 4 Servings

8 c Large-curd cottage cheese
8 ea Egg yolks
1 1/3 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
4 tb Sugar
1/2 lb Melted butter
2 c Sour cream

Drain cheese of all moisture by setting it in a colander.

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