NELLIE and NALYSNIKI

Mom told me that, in 1931, my Aunt Nellie went to school, but the year after that the school was closed because there wasn’t any money in the treasury.  So Nellie was sent out to work when she was only eleven or twelve years old.  

Nellie always went home for Christmas except for one year.  That time she cried and cried and said she was for sure coming home for Easter.  Ukrainian Easter coincided with English Easter that year and Nellie did come home.

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We never had nalysnyky while I was growing up – probably because they do demand fussy effort and more time than a busy farmwife has at her disposal.  Once retired, however, Mom started making them. 

Marilyn said: Aunty Florence said Baba always did up the cottage crepes! Mom never did them for this [Christmas Eve] dinner. 

NALYSNIKI

Pancake batter:

½ cup milk

½ cup water

1 egg

1 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

·        Beat the egg in a medium mixing bowl.

·        Beat in milk, water, and salt.

·        Beat in flour.

·        Let rest in fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Filling:

1 pound fat free creamy cottage cheese

2 small eggs

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp grated lemon zest

¼ tsp salt (scant)

2 tbsp sugar

Raisins (optional)

Topping:

½ cup sour cream

Sugar

Cinnamon

Preparation:

·        Beat eggs.

·        Mix in cottage cheese, flour, lemon zest, salt, and sugar.

·        Pour into casserole and cook in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until set.

Raise oven heat to 400. 

Cook pancakes:

·        Heat non-stick pan over middle heat until hot.

·        Brush lightly with a few drops of oil.

·        Drop a large spoonful of batter onto pan and immediately tip pan to swirl it into a 5 to 6 inch circle.

·        Check before flipping to see that the pancake is well-browned.

·        Stack pancakes.

Butter a casserole dish.

·        Put warm filling on the pancakes and place rolled pancakes in the casserole with the seam down.

·        Spread sour cream on top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  (Or sprinkle with toasted, slivered almonds.)

·        Bake for 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Alternative Method:  In Poland, instead of being heated in the oven, the nalesniki are browned lightly on top of the stove in butter. 

(Jean Karsavina writing for Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, Vol. 17) The result is attractive and tastes crispy good.    

Nicole, James and I, however, preferred the Ukrainian method:  nalysniki heated in the oven are soft and tender.