flipGretchnevaïa kasha — toasted buckwheat porridge
Gretchnevaïa kasha — toasted buckwheat porridge
Why this dish? Buckwheat kasha is the quintessential domestic dish of 19th-century Russia, present on every table, from peasant to the Moscow nobility where Sofia grew up. Nourishing and simple, it is the kind of hot dish that comforted a studious child during the long winters at the family estate of Palibino.
Toasted buckwheat groats, plumped in water or milk and bound with a knob of melted butter. A rustic porridge with a toasted hazelnut flavor, slightly bitter, that sticks to the ribs.
You see, in Russia we cannot conceive of a morning without a good steaming kasha. At home in Palibino, the cook would first make the buckwheat sing in a dry cast-iron pan, until it gave off that hazelnut aroma I so loved to breathe in as I came down the stairs. Then she would drown it in boiling water, cover it well, and let it rest near the tiled stove. A knob of butter on top, and there you have what it takes to face the frost and long problems of analysis.
- •Buckwheat (gretchka) — one large cup (base grain)
- •Water or milk — twice the buckwheat (cooking liquid)
- •Butter — a good knob (binding and fat)
- •Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Gretchnevaïa kasha — toasted buckwheat porridge
Toasted buckwheat groats, plumped in water or milk and bound with a knob of melted butter. A rustic porridge with a toasted hazelnut flavor, slightly bitter, that sticks to the ribs.
Why this dish? Buckwheat kasha is the quintessential domestic dish of 19th-century Russia, present on every table, from peasant to the Moscow nobility where Sofia grew up. Nourishing and simple, it is the kind of hot dish that comforted a studious child during the long winters at the family estate of Palibino.
You see, in Russia we cannot conceive of a morning without a good steaming kasha. At home in Palibino, the cook would first make the buckwheat sing in a dry cast-iron pan, until it gave off that hazelnut aroma I so loved to breathe in as I came down the stairs. Then she would drown it in boiling water, cover it well, and let it rest near the tiled stove. A knob of butter on top, and there you have what it takes to face the frost and long problems of analysis.
Ingredients (period version)
- Buckwheat (gretchka) — one large cup (base grain)
- Water or milk — twice the buckwheat (cooking liquid)
- Butter — a good knob (binding and fat)
- Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Hulled buckwheat (kasha) — 200 g (base grain)
- Water — 400 ml (cooking liquid)
- Butter — 30 g (binding and fat)
- Salt — 1/2 tsp (seasoning)
Method
- Toast the buckwheat in a dry heavy-bottomed pot for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty.
- Pour in salted boiling water, bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low.
- Cook for 15 minutes without stirring, then turn off the heat and let it steam, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork, stir in the butter, and serve hot.
How it was made : Traditionally, kasha was cooked overnight in the Russian oven (pech) in a cast-iron pot over declining heat, giving meltingly tender grains. Pre-toasting was the key to the flavor.
The contemporary twist : A spoonful of smetana (sour cream) and some sautéed mushrooms turn this humble dish into a very modern comforting bowl.
Sofia Kovalevskaya · Charactorium
