This pastry dates back to the cuisine of ancient nomads, and references to Ossetian pies can be found in the old Nart epic. No wonder they are called pies with a thousand-year history, because they were prepared by the ancestors of modern Ossetians - Alans, Scythians and Sarmatians. The history of Ossetian pies is full of interesting facts, and today they have become not just a national dish, but a part of culture and traditions.
Origin story
Today you can buy Ossetian pies almost everywhere; this hearty and tasty pastry is deservedly popular. They can be found on the menu of any restaurant, even not necessarily specializing in national cuisine. And only a small number of true fans of Ossetian pies are familiar with the history of the appearance of this dish.
Roughly in the XIII century, the Alan tribes were forced to leave for the mountains from the Mongol invasion. Then the nomads from Alania got the Georgian name "axis" and at the same time began to form oral Nart epic, where historians will later find mention of traditional round pies forms.
The nomads ate rather poorly, because they had a rather limited set of products at hand: cereals, herbs and meat. Cheese and dairy products were especially appreciated. The pie became a special dish in the diet of nomads, because it was necessary to stop to prepare it. As a rule, they were prepared for special occasions in the life of the tribe.
Initially, yeast was not used to make Ossetian pies, as they were not known to nomads. Pies were baked from unleavened dough, and meat and rennet cheese with herbs were used as the filling, usually wild garlic, beet tops and wild onions. For centuries this pastry has remained for Ossetians something more than just food. Pies played a special ritual role and were part of the culture.
Traditions
They became part of the drinking liturgy, accompanied by prayers and certain rituals. Traditionally, the dish is served with three pies stacked on top of each other. This is the personification of the ideal model of the Universe, which, according to cult legends, consists of the upper, middle and lower levels of the universe. The top pie symbolizes God, the middle one is the Sun, the bottom one is the Earth (Huytsau, Khur and Zach), and all three together are the personification of eternity (past, present and future) and the unity of the world. At the memorial dinner, there will be only two pies on the plate, since there is no middle one - the Sun, forever extinguished for the deceased.
Usually traditional Ossetian pies round in shape, but there are also triangular ones, they are most often prepared for religious holidays. The triangular shape, according to legend, symbolizes fertility and personifies the nurse-land. Regardless of what special occasion pies are baked, at least three types of them should be presented on the table. If they cook more, then their number must certainly be odd.
Most popular toppings
Each Ossetian pie, depending on the filling it contains, has its own name. Almost all names end with the suffix "gin", denoting content or possession of something. The most common are pies with fillings from:
- beet tops - tsakharajin;
- wild garlic leaves and rennet cheese - davodzhin;
- cheese and potatoes - potatoes;
- Ossetian cheese and with a round shape - walibah and khabijin;
- Ossetian cheese and with a triangular shape - safsat or artadzykhon;
- finely chopped cabbage - kabuskagin;
- pumpkins - nasjin;
- minced meat - fiddzhin;
- beans - kadurjin;
- cheese and onion feathers - kadyndzdzhin;
- mushrooms - zokodzhin;
- cherries - baljin.
The recipe for a traditional Ossetian cheese pie
Currently, Ossetian pies are made from yeast dough. As a rule, for walibah (cheese pie), the dough is prepared in water, but sometimes milk and kefir are taken as the basis, even sour cream is added. For our walibah, it is necessary to sift 500 grams of flour, then add 10 grams of dry yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, half a tablespoon of salt and 50 milliliters of vegetable oil to it. After mixing thoroughly, add 400 ml of warm water and knead the dough. The finished dough is covered with a towel and sent to a warm place. When the dough comes up, it is kneaded and left to come up again.
While the dough is coming up, prepare a filling of Ossetian cheese. Since it is not always possible to purchase it, Adyghe cheese is often used. This amount of dough will require 1 kilogram of cheese and salt to taste. Knead the cheese thoroughly, mix with salt and form three balls of the same size.
Divide the matched dough into three equal parts. Put a ball of cheese on the dough cake and form a round pie. It should be quite flat, as a tall Ossetian pie is considered a sign of an inexperienced housewife.
After three cakes are formed, we send them to the molds and make a hole in the center. We bake them at a temperature of 250 degrees for 8 minutes. Grease the finished pie with plenty of butter and enjoy delicious pastries.
In order for the baked goods to be of the correct round shape, and the taste and aroma to please the household, it will take some skill and, of course, time. If there is no time, as there is no desire to cook, then you can buy Ossetian pies with delivery, and professional chefs specializing in this particular type of baking will be happy to cook walibah, fijin, nasjin and any other pie for your choice.