WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG WIDOW WITH THREE children, my great-grandmother opened a Russian teahouse in Philadelphia’s theater district. A family endeavor for nearly fifty years, it was long since closed by the time I was born. I grew up with the old menus, rich with blintzes, borscht, and buttered kasha with bowties. Thanks to this family history, I’ve long looked for ways to eat more kasha. This granola gives me a delicious way to do just that and I’m certain my great-grandmother would approve.
2 cups/170 g old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup/55 g sliced almonds
¾ cup/120 g toasted buckwheat groats (kasha)
¾ cup/85 g raw sunflower seeds
½ cup/60 g unsweetened dried flaked coconut
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ cup/60 ml sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)
½ cup/120 ml honey
½ cup/85 g raisins
Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, buckwheat, sunflower seeds, flaked coconut, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss it all together to combine.
Measure the sunflower oil in a large cup and swirl it around before adding it to the bowl. Using the same, unwashed cup, measure the honey and add it to the bowl. Stir everything together until evenly coated. Spread the mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until the granola is crisp and toasted, about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring 2 to 3 times during baking to ensure even browning.
Remove the granola from the oven. Gently stir in the raisins. If you want the granola to form clusters, mound the still-warm granola into the center of the baking sheet to cool. When the granola is completely cool store it in an airtight container. It will keep for a week to 10 days.