Semi French? Ciasto pȯłfrancuskie 2

There are two similarly named pastries in Polish cookery:

• Ciasto francuskie  – translates as French pastry – this is puff pastry.
• Ciasto pȯłfrancuskie  – translates as half or  semi French pastry.

I have seen ciasto pȯłfrancuskie described as rough  puff pastry  – but it  is not – rough puff is a slightly easier and quicker version of puff pastry.

I have seen many different recipes for this semi-French pastry and they fall into three broad categories:

• ciasto pȯłfrancuskie – śmietanowe – dough  made with some soured cream. 
• ciasto pȯłfrancuskie – serowe  –  dough made with twaróg – curd cheese.
• ciasto pȯłfrancuskie – drożdźowe – dough made with yeast.

Ciasto  pȯłfrancuskie 2 – with curd cheese – twaróg

Ingredients

• 225g plain flour
• 225g butter
• 225g twaróg – curd cheese or yoghurt cheese
• 2 tablespoons of soured cream – maybe needed – depends on dampness of the cheese

Note – as you use equal parts of the three main ingredients, you can make an amount suited to you needs – I usually go by how much yoghurt cheese I have.

Method

• Preheat the oven to GM7 – 220ºC
• Grease several baking sheets.
• You need to get the curd cheese as dry as possible, if you are using homemade then allow this to strain as long as possible.
• Put the flour into a large bowl.
• Add the butter and with a knife chop it up roughly.
• Then with your finger tips rub the butter in until you have fine breadcrumbs.
• Mix in the curd cheese and bring the dough together, adding as much soured cream as is needed.
• When using my own yoghurt cheese I often do not need any soured cream.
• Shape the dough into a ball and leave in a cool place for 20 – 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 4 and work with each quarter at a time, leaving the rest in a cool place .
• Roll the dough out thinly
• Cut into  circles using a 7cm cutter.
• Add around a teaspoon of filling* see below and fold the circle into half.
• Pinch the edges together carefully.
• Place the pastries on the greased baking sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden.
• For ones with sweet fillings dust with icing sugar whilst still warm.

Fillings

You can use lots of savoury or sweet fillings – here are a few suggestions:

• Date
• Poppy seed mixture
• Walnut
• Hazelnut

All filling must be cool before using.

Date

• Chop 200g of dried dates.
• Place in a small saucepan and cover with water (and you can add a little lemon juice).
• Heat gently and stir.
• Cook until you have a soft pulp.

 

Poppy Seed Mixture

 

See instructions in an earlier post – ciasto pȯłfrancuskie 1

Walnut

• Grind 100g of chopped walnuts.
• Add the nuts to around 3 tablespoons of apricot jam.
• Mix well together.

 

You can do the same with hazelnuts.