Apple "Charlotte"

In my Russian cuisine course, we watched a video several times: how to make the classic Russian apple cake Sharlotka.

I had no choice. I had to make one. 

The reviews from the family are good. 

Ingredients (modified slightly from the video recipe, of course):
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. sugar
1-2 T. vegetable oil
1 scant cup flour
3-4 apples, peeled and cut into slices
1 t. cinnamon
optional: 1 scant cup walnuts and/or dried cranberries
powdered sugar

Beat the eggs starting at a low speed and increasing to high. Add vanilla and sugar and beat until foam forms. Add some vegetable oil. Sift flour into bowl and stir by hand or on low with the mixer. Add the walnuts to batter if you like.

Line a baking pan (I used a 10" springform pan) with parchment or other paper. Cover the bottom with batter. Add a layer of apples and sprinkle with cinnamon if you like. Add another layer of batter, then apples, then batter. (At any point you can add the cranberries -- I happened to be out last night.)

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean. Turn onto a plate or platter. Sift a little powdered sugar on the top.

Yum. Eat while still warm.

I first learned to make sharlotka at a Russian dacha outside of Moscow, and we baked it in an iron skillet. In that case I think you might go ahead and grease the skillet with a little vegetable oil. 

Mushroom Kulebiaka -- the vegetarian option

When I coerced my students into making a kulebiaka a couple of weeks ago for our Russian cuisine day, they bought salmon and cod ... and chicken stock. Which technically means I couldn't eat any -- I have avoided all meat products for years, though I have been eating fish since getting pregnant (now 14 years ago... seems like just yesterday!).

But I also wanted to have something to do during the cooking session, and though I could have taken the opportunity to horn in on their recipes and give advice (cut those cucumbers into smaller pieces! chop finely!), I instead chose to make a dish of my own.

Grabbing another Darra Goldstein classic off the shelf, I launched into a mushroom version of the pie. The added advantage was that I made the dough at home, which enabled me to use my cuisinart, and I doubled the recipe, as I always do.

One of my Fulbright chums asked for the recipe, so here it is:

Mushroom Kulebiaka (Darra uses the French title, Coulibiac)

Dough:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 lb. cream cheese

Filling:
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 T. unsalted butter or olive oil
1 lb. mixed mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped
1/3 c. raw pearled barley
2/3 c. water
pinch plus 1 t. salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 T. sour cream
2 T. snipped fresh dill

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Place the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the butter and cream cheese and process, using the pulsing motion, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Turn out onto a bowl and with your hands gently press the mixture until the dough sticks together and forms a ball. Do not overmix or the pastry will be tough. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for at least an hour before using. (I made it the night before.)

In a large skillet, saute the onion in 2 T. of butter or oil until it begins to turn golden, 8-10 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter or oil to the skillet along with the mushrooms and cook the mixture for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan bring the barley, water, and a pinch of salt to boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. The grains will still be chewy. Stir the cooked barley into the mushroom mixture. Add the remaining 1 t. salt and the pepper, sour cream, and dill. (I forgot the sour cream in the heat of the moment, but it was still tasty!)

Preheat the over to 400 F.

To assemble the pie, roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a 10 x 14 inch rectangle. Trim the edges, saving the scraps to make decorative shapes for the top of the pie if desired. (My students made fun of me, but I thought this was pretty.)

Mound the mushroom mixture lengthwise down the center of the dough. Bring the two long sides of the dough up to meet at the center over the filling, then fold up the short sides to enclose it completely. Seal the edges with cold water.

Gently place the finished pie seam side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush all over with the beaten egg yolk and decorate the top, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and nicely browned. Allow to sit for 10 or 15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6 to 8.

My students with the unbaked mushroom kulebiakas.
Wish I'd taken a picture when the pies came out of the oven!