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Passport & Plate - Carpathian banosh with cheese bread

Ukraine | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 5 photos

Ingredients
Serves for 2-3
For Banosh:
- 1 cup of fine corn grits
- 1,5 cup of fat sour cream
- ½ cup of water
- salt to taste
- brynza
- porcini mushrooms
for bread (1 portion):
- round loaf firm sourdough bread
- some sliced mushrooms
- 50 grams of butter
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh herbs (I use chives, rosemary and oregano; use more to taste)
- Slised cheese ( I used brynza)

 

How to prepare this recipe
directions:
banosh:
1. In a heavy saucepan bring sour cream, water and salt to a boil and gradually whisk in corn grits.
2. You have to stir banosh very often using the wooden spoon. When banosh starts to boil, you have to ?ontinue stirring banosh as it slowly cooks until thick and creamy.
3. Turn off the stove. Add grated or sliced brynza and fried with cream mushrooms. Serve it hot.

Cheese bread:
1. Heat oven to 180c. Cut bread loaf into 1-inch slices in one direction, then perpendicular, forming porcupine-like bread fingers. Transfer to baking sheet or roasting pan.
2. In a small saucepan or your microwave, combine butter, salt and herbs until butter is melted and sizzling. Pour over bread, making sure to separate any fingers leaning on each other to ensure the bread is evenly butter-soaked. Scatter with grated cheese and fried mushrooms.
3. Sprinkle with first teaspoon of herbs. Cover dish with foil and bake loaf for 15 minutes, until warmed through. Remove foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until edges of loaf are toasty and cheese has melted. Serve warm.

 

The story behind this recipe
Ukrainian Carpathians today is a place, where tourism develops. Ski resorts were opened here only recently, but now many people prefer to spend their winter holidays with skiing in this beautiful place. Thousands of tourists, developed infrastructure – it`s all about present-day Carpathians.
However, in spite of this you can also find here magic spirit of old Carpathians with folk traditions, original rites and, of course, unique cuisine.
I was skiing in the most popular Carpathian place for a long time, and then I decided to walk beyond the territory of comfortable resort to enjoy the silence and nature. It was surprise to find here a little kolyba – traditional regional kind of building. Now kolybas are often used as places, where everyone can taste regional dishes – some kind of restaurant. The main feature of these wooden buildings is ? bonfire in the middle of it. So many of dishes are cooked on open fire.
I was hungry, so I entered the kolyba and got ready to have a great dinner. I didn`t mistake. I took banosh – I have heard about it many times - and I didn`t mistake again.
Most of traditional recipes are very simple. It consists of a few ingredients, which compose perfect combination. You must only remember the importance of quality of every ingredient. It must be just perfect.
Banosh is traditional hutsul dish using corn grits and sour cream. I asked affable owner to tell me how to cook perfect banosh. He hospitably told me all the secrets of authentic recipe.
I was impressed with the simplicity of cooking banosh and I had suspicion that the owner of kolyba didn`t tell me everything. That is why I was surprised when the banosh I cooked was very successful. I added to Carpathian recipe cheese bread, which can complete your perfect dinner.