WITH a hey nonny nonny and a hotcha- cotcha, what
a jolly little May Day festival we had. Rioting in six countries, prisoners on the tiles and general gloom abounding; it always works. But there was a much greater and far more enjoyable Russian feast going on the day before, namely Easter, which the Eastern Church still celebrates independently according to the old calendar. There is always a feast after the deprivations of Lent and the traditional dessert is a great, glorious creamy pyramid called Paskha. I have rooted around among my friends with Russian connec- tions and have come up with the following:
Paskha
12 oz fresh curd cheese or cream cheese unsalted 5 oz sour cream or creme fraiche 1/2 lb unsalted butter 1/2 lb castor sugar 4 egg yolks vanilla essence (not flavouring) 1 lb mixed, chopped almonds, sultanas, glace cherries, pineapple and angelica
Press the cheese through the finest sieve of a Mouli or similar. Cream the butter, sugar and egg yolks together until the sugar has dissolved. Mix in the sour cream and the vanilla essence to taste, about six to eight drops I reckon, then gradually stir in the cream cheese until thoroughly blended. Pour all the chopped fruits and nuts into the concoction and mix well. The Russians have special paskha moulds which are the traditional pyramid shape, but as most of us don't have one, use a colander lined with damp butter muslin or a clean, lined flower-pot of the earthenware variety with a hole in the bottom for the moisture of the cheese to escape. Put the mixture in one of these containers, cover with damp butter muslin, a plate and a 2 lb weight; leave in a cold place for 24 hours. When ready, unmould on to a dish, and if you really want to be traditional you can sculpt the pudding into a pyramid with a palette knife and stick a red rose on the top. The lovely Louise Patten says she leaves the paskha for 48 hours, letting the fruit flavours get stronger. They used to have an ex-lady-in- waiting to the Czarina living with them when they were children who didn't care for the dried fruit in the paskha so made it without. If you still have feelings about salmonella there is a cooked version:
Cooked Paskha
2 lbs unsalted fresh curd or cream cheese 6 egg yolks 1 lb castor sugar 1 lb unsalted butter 10 oz sour cream vanilla essence
1/2 lb chopped almonds Wrap the cheese in a clean cloth and put it between two boards for 6-8 hours with a weight on top to get rid of the moisture. Cream the sugar, butter and egg yolks as above, mix in the sour cream and vanilla and finally the cheese (sieved again). SW' in the almonds. Put the mixture into a double saucepan, heat to simmering point but on no account boil. Let it cool, then proceed to mould as before.
I feel a soufflé would be suitable for Ascension day, and as the delicious little purple and white young turnips are in the market seize the chance.
Young Turnip Souffle
1 lb young turnips 2 fat cloves of garlic 2 oz butter 11/2 oz plain flour 1/4 pint of the turnip cooking water 4 fluid oz milk 4 egg yolks 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 5 egg whites I tablespoon breadcrumbs (fine) 1 tablespoon fresh grated parmesan cheese seasoning
Peel the turnips, chop in half and cook in boiling salted water with the garlic until just tender, strain well and purée. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the flour, cook for a minute, then add the turnip water and milk slurp by slurp until smooth. Add the turnips, remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Season strongly and add the parsley. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gently fold int° the turnip mixture. Have ready a well buttered 21/2 pint soufflé dish, sprinkle the cheese and crumbs round the sides and bottom, turning the dish so that the sur- faces are evenly coated, tip the residue on to some paper. Spoon the soufflé into the dish and strew with the leftover cheese and crumbs. Preheat the oven to Gas 6, F.400, C.200 with a baking tray set in the middle. Place soufflé on tray and cook for 3° minutes. Do not peek.
Jennifer Paterson
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