Inside mom's kitchen, all was bright, sunny, warm, and fragrant with expectation. This was the day - and the only day - when she made portzelki, an old tradition among Mennonites who lived in Russia. Portzelki are made from a spongy yeast batter. When dropped by spoonfuls into hot, deep fat, they puff up, tumble over, and fry to a golden brown. Portzel, in Low German, means tumbling over and is akin to the High German purzeln. That's how they earned their name. Usually the portzelki were ready by noon. Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, loaded with raisins, and buried in a blizzard of sugar - this treat has no equal. A plateful of these warm fritters, a pitcher of cold milk - that was lunch. Everyone ate portzelki and only portzelki until we justly burst with great satisfaction.
The cakes and pastries fried in deep oil are eaten in several Northern European countries to mark the New Year. Doughnuts, fritters, and Krapfen play an important part in German festivities, but they were eaten mainly at New Year as a symbol of affluence and a ''fat year.'' Russian Mennonite women brought portzelki recipes from their colonies in the Ukraine, but the recipes probably originated in the Netherlands, where for centuries Mennonites made a New Year's fritter called oliebollen (oh'-lee-bow-len), made with raisins and apples. Portzelki are best served fresh. They can be frozen plain and reheated and sugared. You may also start them at night and finish in the morning with warm fritters for a late New Year's Day breakfast.
Raisin-studded Fritters: a Scrumptious Salute to the New Year:
Portzelki (New Year's Fritters) 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup margarine 1/2 cup sugar 1 package active dry yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, optional 2 eggs 1 cup raisins, steamed. Below makes about 2 1/2 dozen of 3-inch fritters.
• In small saucepan, scald milk; remove from heat and add margarine and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until margarine is melted; set aside to cool.
• In large bowl of electric mixer, combine yeast, water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir briskly. Let stand 5 minutes to bubble.
• Mix orange rind and vanilla into cooled milk mixture and add yeast mixture.
• Mix flour with salt and nutmeg. Add 1/2 flour mixture to liquid mixture, beating until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add another cup flour and beat 5 minutes with electric mixer. Gradually add remaining flour.
• Stir in cooled raisins. Increase raisins to 1 1/2 cups if desired. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in warm place to rise until doubled in bulk.
• In an electric skillet or heavy saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees F.
• With 2 iced-tea spoons, shape small portions of batter into balls. Cook in hot oil, turning when golden brown. Be sure inside is well done.
• Drain on paper towels. While still warm, roll in granulated or powdered sugar. Serve warm.
• Fritters may be frozen and reheated, then sugared before serving.
Another Favorite: Mini party quiches
Bring your family and friends together with this recipe, every one can enjoy the New Year together. Serves 10 or more, Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes, Cooking method: bake
Fillings can be made a day before required. Each filling is enough for 36 pastry cases. Pastry cases can be frozen for up to a month. Fillings are not suitable to freeze. This recipe is not suitable to microwave.
INGREDIENTS
375g packet filo pastry and Melted butter or oil
Spinach filling
250g packet frozen spinach
1 bacon rasher, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
125g cottage cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup thickened cream
Asparagus filling
1 bacon rasher, chopped
310g can asparagus cuts, drained
2 green shallots, chopped
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup thickened cream
Mushroom filling
1 bacon rasher, chopped
125g mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup thickened cream
Instructions:
Use 6 layers of filo pastry at a time for making the quiches (there are about 24 layers in each 375g packet of pastry). Brush between each layer with melted butter or oil. Keep pastry covered with greaseproof paper, then a damp cloth when exposed to the air. Use a sharp 6cm cutter to cut 36 rounds from buttered sheets of pastry, place rounds into shallow round-based patty pans, fill with desired filling. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes or until golden brown; cool.
Spinach filling: Press out as much liquid from thawed spinach as possible. Cook bacon and onion in frying pan until bacon is crisp; drain on absorbent paper. Combine spinach, bacon mixture and sieved cottage cheese in bowl, mix well. Place a tea-spoonful of the filling into each pastry case, top with a teaspoon of the combined egg and cream.
Asparagus filling: Cook bacon in frying pan until crisp; drain on absorbent paper. Combine bacon in bowl with asparagus, shallots and cheese. Place a teaspoonful of the mixture into each pastry case, top with a teaspoon of the combined egg and cream.
Mushroom filling: Cook bacon in frying pan (or microwave) until crisp; add mushrooms, cook few minutes and add chives, parsley and cheese. Place a teaspoonful of the mixture into each pastry case, top with a teaspoon of the combined egg and cream.
This Makes 36. Enjoy these Favorites - Bird
The cakes and pastries fried in deep oil are eaten in several Northern European countries to mark the New Year. Doughnuts, fritters, and Krapfen play an important part in German festivities, but they were eaten mainly at New Year as a symbol of affluence and a ''fat year.'' Russian Mennonite women brought portzelki recipes from their colonies in the Ukraine, but the recipes probably originated in the Netherlands, where for centuries Mennonites made a New Year's fritter called oliebollen (oh'-lee-bow-len), made with raisins and apples. Portzelki are best served fresh. They can be frozen plain and reheated and sugared. You may also start them at night and finish in the morning with warm fritters for a late New Year's Day breakfast.
Raisin-studded Fritters: a Scrumptious Salute to the New Year:
Portzelki (New Year's Fritters) 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup margarine 1/2 cup sugar 1 package active dry yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, optional 2 eggs 1 cup raisins, steamed. Below makes about 2 1/2 dozen of 3-inch fritters.
• In small saucepan, scald milk; remove from heat and add margarine and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until margarine is melted; set aside to cool.
• In large bowl of electric mixer, combine yeast, water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir briskly. Let stand 5 minutes to bubble.
• Mix orange rind and vanilla into cooled milk mixture and add yeast mixture.
• Mix flour with salt and nutmeg. Add 1/2 flour mixture to liquid mixture, beating until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add another cup flour and beat 5 minutes with electric mixer. Gradually add remaining flour.
• Stir in cooled raisins. Increase raisins to 1 1/2 cups if desired. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in warm place to rise until doubled in bulk.
• In an electric skillet or heavy saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees F.
• With 2 iced-tea spoons, shape small portions of batter into balls. Cook in hot oil, turning when golden brown. Be sure inside is well done.
• Drain on paper towels. While still warm, roll in granulated or powdered sugar. Serve warm.
• Fritters may be frozen and reheated, then sugared before serving.
Another Favorite: Mini party quiches
Bring your family and friends together with this recipe, every one can enjoy the New Year together. Serves 10 or more, Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes, Cooking method: bake
Fillings can be made a day before required. Each filling is enough for 36 pastry cases. Pastry cases can be frozen for up to a month. Fillings are not suitable to freeze. This recipe is not suitable to microwave.
INGREDIENTS
375g packet filo pastry and Melted butter or oil
Spinach filling
250g packet frozen spinach
1 bacon rasher, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
125g cottage cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup thickened cream
Asparagus filling
1 bacon rasher, chopped
310g can asparagus cuts, drained
2 green shallots, chopped
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup thickened cream
Mushroom filling
1 bacon rasher, chopped
125g mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup thickened cream
Instructions:
Use 6 layers of filo pastry at a time for making the quiches (there are about 24 layers in each 375g packet of pastry). Brush between each layer with melted butter or oil. Keep pastry covered with greaseproof paper, then a damp cloth when exposed to the air. Use a sharp 6cm cutter to cut 36 rounds from buttered sheets of pastry, place rounds into shallow round-based patty pans, fill with desired filling. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes or until golden brown; cool.
Spinach filling: Press out as much liquid from thawed spinach as possible. Cook bacon and onion in frying pan until bacon is crisp; drain on absorbent paper. Combine spinach, bacon mixture and sieved cottage cheese in bowl, mix well. Place a tea-spoonful of the filling into each pastry case, top with a teaspoon of the combined egg and cream.
Asparagus filling: Cook bacon in frying pan until crisp; drain on absorbent paper. Combine bacon in bowl with asparagus, shallots and cheese. Place a teaspoonful of the mixture into each pastry case, top with a teaspoon of the combined egg and cream.
Mushroom filling: Cook bacon in frying pan (or microwave) until crisp; add mushrooms, cook few minutes and add chives, parsley and cheese. Place a teaspoonful of the mixture into each pastry case, top with a teaspoon of the combined egg and cream.
This Makes 36. Enjoy these Favorites - Bird
