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Russia is a northern country. Russian food must keep people warm during long, cold winters. This pie is filled with cabbage, cheese, and eggs. It is delicious, warm, and comforting.
Russia
Image Credit: © 1999 Artville, LLC
Moscow, Russia’s capital, is the largest city in the world, not by population but by size. It is over 9,000 square miles.
The land region of Siberia makes up 77 percent of Russia’s land. Few people live in Siberia. The country has cold subarctic temperatures, from 5 to 32 ºF in January and about 68ºF in July.
Pie
Pie is not only for dessert. For main meals, a savory double-crust pie is also called “potpie.” Mashed potatoes are the top crust for shepherd’s pie. A quiche (keesh) is a single-crust pie made with vegetables, cheese, and eggs.
What You Need
Equipment:
- Pie pan
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Butter knife
- Frying pan
- Spatula
Ingredients:
- 2 ready-made piecrusts
- 1 small head of green cabbage
- ½ pound mushrooms
- 1 small yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon marjoram
- ½ teaspoon tarragon
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (left out of the refrigerator until it reaches room temperature)
- 4 to 5 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill* weed, finely chopped
*What’s This?
Dill is a tangy herb. If you don’t have fresh dill, use 1 teaspoon of dried dill.
Image Credit: iStockphoto.com/© sf_foodphoto
What to Do
- Shred the cabbage. Dice the onion. Slice the mushrooms.
- Melt butter in frying pan.
- Sauté vegetables for 3–5 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, and herbs (except dill). Stir. Turn off the heat.
- Peel and slice hard-boiled eggs.
- Place the bottom piecrust in the pie pan. Fill the pie: Spread the cream cheese on the bottom. Place the egg slices on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the dill on top of the eggs. Add the sautéed vegetables.
- Place the top crust over the pie. To trim, cut off the extra crust with a knife. The crust should be the same size as the pie pan. If any crust hangs over the edge, trim it off with a knife.
- Crimp* the piecrust edges. Make slices in top crust. (Slices let steam escape during baking.)
- Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350°F (180°C). Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, until the pie is golden.
*What’s This?
To crimp, press crusts together with a fork or your fingers. This makes a seal to keep juices inside the pie.
