TURTA DULCE PENTRU CRACIUN / CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Prajitura cu mere varianta 2 / Apple cake version 2

Aluatul – reteta de AICI

Dough – recipe HERE

Umplutura / Filling

• 2 kg mere / apples, 2 kgs
• 250 – 300 g zahar / 250 – 300 g sugar
• 50 g gris / 50 g semolina
• scortisoara dupa gust / cinnamon to taste

1. Se rad merele pe razatoarea mare cu tot cu coaja.

Grate the apples coarsely, peel on.

2. Merele se storc de zeama si se amesteca cu zaharul, grisul si scortisoara.

Squeeze apples juice and mix in the sugar, semolina and cinnamon.

  

Ansamblare si coacere AICI

Assembly and baking HERE

Prajitura cu mere varianta 1 / Apple cake version 1

Ingrediente / Ingredients

Aluat / Dough

• 250 g margarina / 250 g margarine
• 1 ou / 1 egg
• 100 g zahar pudra / 100 g powdered sugar
• 1 lingurita bicarbonate / 1 tsp bicarbonate
• faina cat cuprinde / flour as needed
• 1 lingura unt / 1 tbsp butter 

Umplutura / Filling

• 2 kg mere / apples, 2 kgs
• 10-15 linguri zahar (daca merele sunt dulci se adauga 10 linguri de zahar  iar daca sunt mai acrisoare se adauga 15 linguri) / 10-15 tbsp sugar (if apples are sweet add 10 tbsp of sugar, if apples are a bit sour add 15 tbsp of sugar)
• scortisoara dupa gust
• zahar pudra cat este nevoie / zahar pudra as needed

Mod de preparare / Method of preparation

Aluatul / Dough

1. Se face un aluat amestecand margarina, oul, zaharul si bicarbonatul adaugand faina putin cate putin, pana cand aluatul nu mai este lipicios. Se imparte in doua parti egale.

Make a dough mixing margarine, egg, sugar, bicarbonate and flour adding little by little until dough its not sticky. Divide into 2 egual parts.

Umplutura / Filling

2. Se rad merele pe razatoarea mare cu tot cu coaja.

Grate the apples coarsely, peel on.

3. Se adauga zaharul si  se pune la foc mediu. Cand incepe sa fiarba focul se da mai incet.

Add the sugar and put into a pan over medium heat. Adjust the heat down as it comes to a simmer. 

4. Se lasa ca sucul din amestecul de mere sa se evapore, se adauga scortisoara dupa gust si se lasa sa se raceasca.

Allow the juices from the apple mixture to evaporate, add cinnamon to taste and let it cool.

Ansamblare si coacere / Assembly and baking

5. Se unge cu unt  si se pudreaza cu faina o tava cu dimenisunea de 36 x 25 cm.

Grease with butter and sprinkle with flour a 36 x 25 cm sized baking tray.

6. Pe o suprafata presarata cu faina se intinde prima jumatatea de aluat intr-o foaie subtire si se aseaza in tava de copt.

On a floured surface roll first half of the dough into a thin sheet and place it into the baking tray.

7. Peste se intinde in mod egal umplutura de mere, se acopera cu cealalta jumatate de aluat intins si se inteapa cu furculita din loc in loc.

Spread the apple filling over it evenly, top with the other half of rolled dough and prick with fork from place to place.

8. Se da la cuptor timp de 45 de minute sau pana este de o culoare maro aurie.
Put it in the oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Se scoate din cuptor, se lasa sa se raceasca si se presara cu zahar pudra.
Take it out of the oven, let it cool and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. 

Kringel Estonian / Estonian Kringel

Ingrediente / Ingredients

• 120 ml lapte caldut / 120 ml lukewarm milk
• 2 lingurite zahar / 2 tsp sugar
• 1 galbenus / 1 egg yolk
• 30 g unt topit (racit) / 30 g melted butter (cooled)
• 1 lingurita esenta vanilie / 1 tsp vanilla
• un praf de sare / pinch of salt
• 15 g drojdie proaspata / 15 g fresh yeast
• 300 g faina / 300 g flour 

Umplutura / Filling

• 50 g unt / 50 g butter
• 4 linguri zahar / 4 tbs sugar
• 3 lingurite scortisoara sau dupa gust / 3 tsp cinnamon or to taste

Optional / Optional

• zahar pudra / powdered sugar
• fulgi de migdale / flaked almonds

    

Mod de preparare / Method of preparation

1. In laptele caldut adaugam drojdia si zaharul si lasam cateva minute, pana incepe sa faca o spuma deasupra.

In the warm milk add the yeast and sugar and let it sit a few minutes while the yeast foams up.

2. Se adauga untul, esenta de vanilie, galbenusul si se amesteca.

Add the butter, vanilla, egg yolk and mix.

3. Faina se cerne impreuna cu sarea dupa care se toarna peste amestecul de lapte si drojdie si se framanta pana se obtine un aluat nelipicios.

Sift flour with salt and then put over the milk and yeast mixture and knead until you get unsticky dough.

4. Aluatul de pune intr-un bol, se acopera si se lasa la dospit timp de o ora.

Place dough in a bowl, cover and leave to rise for an hour (until doubled in size).

Umplutura / Filling

5. Se amesteca untul cu zaharul si scortisoara pana se omogenizeaza.

Mix butter with sugar and cinnamon until smooth.

6. Aluatul se intinde intr-o foaie cat mai dreptunghiulara.

Roll the dough in a rectangular shape.

7. Foaia se unge cu amestecul de zahar, unt si scortisoara, lasand 1-2 lingurite pentru uns deasupra.

Spread over dough the sugar, butter and cinnamon mixture, leaving 1-2 tsp for glazing over.

8. Foaia se ruleaza dupa care cu un cutit se taie pe lung in doua (vezi foto).

Roll up the dough, and using a knife, cut the log in half length-wise (see photo).

9. Cele doua jumatati se sucesc in forma de spirala lasand in exterior partea taiata. I se da forma unui inel si cu grija se transfera intr-o tava tapetata cu hartie de copt.

Twist the two halves together, keeping the open layers exposed. Form into a ring shape and carefully transfer to a parchment lined baking tray.

10. Deasupra se unge cu restul de umplutura si peste se presara fulgi de migdale.

Top with the remaining butter mixure and sprinkle with flaked almonds.

11. Se coace timp de 30-35 de minute, pana prinde o culoare  maro-aurie.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. 

12. Se scoate din cuptor si se lasa sa se raceasca dupa care se serveste cu zahar pudra sau simpla.

Remove from oven and let it cool then serve with powdered sugar or simple.

Chiftelute in sos picant / Koftas (meatballs) in a spicy sauce

Ingrediente / Ingredients

• 750 g carne macra de vita tocata / 750 g lean minced beef
• 6 lingurite seminte mac / 6 tsp poppy seeds
• 3 cepe medii, tocate / 3 medium onions, chopped
• 3 lingurite radacina de ghimbir proaspat zdrobit /  3 tsp crushed fresh root ginger
• 3 lingurite usturoi zdrobit / 3 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 lingurite sare / 2 tsp salt
• 2 lingurite  praf de ardei iute / 2 tsp chilli powder
• 4 lingurite coriandru macinat / 4 tsp ground coriander
• 3 linguri frunze de coriandru proaspete / 3 tbs fresh coriander leaves
• 2 oua / 2 eggs

Pentru sos / For the sauce

• 220 ml iaurt simplu / 220 ml plain yogurt
• 100 g pasta tomate / 100 g tomato paste
• 2 lingurite praf de ardei iute / 2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 lingurite sare / 2 tsp salt
• 3 lingurite usturoi zdrobit / 3 tsp crushed garlic
• 3 lingurite radacina de ghimbir zdrobit / 3 tsp fresh root ginger
• 3 lingurite garam masala / 3 tsp garam masala
• 4 linguri ulei / 6 tbs oil
• 1 ½ bat de scortisoara / 1 ½ cinnamom stick
• 650 ml water / 650 ml water

Mod de preparare / Method of preparation

1. Se pune carnea de vita intr-un castron iar peste semintele de mac si se da deoparte. 

Place the beef into a bowl and tip the poppy seeds on top and set aside.

2. Se pune ceapa intr-un robot de bucatarie impreuna cu ghimbirul zdrobit, usturoiul, sarea, praful de chilli, coriandrul macinat si coriandrul proaspat. 

Place the onion in a food processor, with the crushed ginger, garlic, salt, chilli powder, ground coriander and fresh coriander.

3. Amestecul de condimente se macina in jur de 30 de secunde, dupa care se adauga la carnea de vita si se amesteca bine. 

Grind this spice mixture for about 30 seconds, then add it to the beef and mix well.

 

4. Se bat ouale cu telul si se amesteca bine cu carnea de vita condimentata.

 Whisk the eggs and thoroughly mix it into the spiced beef. 

5. Se lasa sa stea in jur de 1 ora.

Leave to stand for about 1 hour.

 

6. Pentru sos se bate cu telul iaurtul, pasta de tomate, praful de ardei iute, sarea, usturoiul zdrobit, ghimbirul si garam masala.

For the sauce, whisk together the yogurt, tomato paste, chilli powder, salt, crushed garlic, ginger and garam masala.

7. Se incinge uleiul cu batul de scortisoara intr-o karahi sau wok timp de 1 minut, dupa care peste se toarna sosul preparat.

Heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in a  karahi or wok for about 1 minute, then pour in the prepared sauce.

 

8. Se reduce focul si se fierbe timp de 1 minut. Karahi sau wok-ul se i-a de pe foc si se da deoparte.

Lower the heat and cook for about 1 minute. Remove the karahi or wok from the heat and set aside.

9. Se rup bile mici din amestecul de carne iar folosing mainile se fac chiftelute.

Break off small balls of the meat mixture and make koftas (meatballs) using your hands. 

10. Cand sunt gata toate chiftelutele se pune din nou pe foc sosul in care se amesteca cu apa.

When all the koftas (meatballs) are ready, return the sauce to the heat and stir in the water. 

 

11. Se adauga in sos chiftelutele una cate una.

Drop in the koftas (meatballs) one by one.

12. Se acopera cu un capac si se fierb pana chiftelutele sunt fierte, amestecand usor de mai multe ori pentru a intoarce chiftelutele. 

Cover with a lid and cook until koftas (meatballs) are cooked, stirring gently several times to turn the koftas around.

13. Se servesc  fierbinti / Serve hot.