This dish from Banat combines Balkan spirit with traditional Swabian cuisine. Păturată means ‘blanket’, in this case made of filo, and crumpi means ‘potatoes’. Initially, it was a dish of poverty when the pastry was used to cover the pot and keep the potatoes cooking in their own steam.
It has evolved with the wealth of the households and turned into a cheese-filled strudel, swirled to the size of the pan and placed on top of the potatoes. Covered with a lid, the pan was put in the oven.
This recipe is taken from Danube: Recipes and Stories from Eastern Europe, the new cookbook by award-winning writer, Irina Georgescu, which is published this week on 16th January.
With over 80 extraordinary recipes for everyday cooking – many focusing on vegetables, beans and pulses without meat – this cookbook is a testament to the diverse cultures of Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria in those border regions shaped by the Danube.
Irina’s recipe is an easier version, a little fiddly to start with but rewarding. Most importantly, anyone can make it at home!
Ingredients:
For the Stew
- 2 tablespoons sunflower or light olive oil
- 1 large brown onion, sliced
- 650 g (1 lb 7 oz) potatoes, cut into 1.5 cm (2/3 in) slices, then quartered
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (or fennel seeds)
- 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)
For the Crust
- 4 medium eggs, beaten
- 100 g (3½ oz/generous 1/3 cup) thick, Greek-style yoghurt
- 60 g (21/4 oz) brânză telemea, or brined feta-style cheese
- 5–6 sheets of filo pastry (put the rest back in the packet, store in the refrigerator and use within a week)
- 70 ml (2½ fl oz/5 tablespoons) sunflower or light olive oil, for brushing
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Prepare the Stew
Heat the oil in a deep, ovenproof 24 cm (9½ in) sauté pan over a medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the potatoes and caraway seeds, combine well, then fry for 3 minutes. Add the stock, cover the pan, and cook for 15–18 minutes over a medium–low heat until the potatoes soften.
2. Prepare the Filo Crust
Meanwhile, mix the eggs with the yoghurt and cheese. Add a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (325°F/gas 3).
To assemble the crust, build a spiral on a large piece of baking parchment. Take one sheet of filo and brush it with oil. Make creases by folding it from the longer side up, to look like a pleated skirt. Don’t roll it into a cylinder; the creases need to remain open to absorb the egg mixture. Now coil it loosely around itself and place it in the middle of the baking parchment to form the center of the crust. Repeat with another sheet, continuing the spiral from where you left it and tucking the ends in. Repeat with the rest of the pastry until the spiral reaches the size of the pan. Brush the remaining oil on top.
3. Assemble and Bake
By now, the potatoes will be ready. Take the pan off the heat and use a fork to crush a quarter of the potatoes lightly, then stir a few times to thicken the sauce. Leave enough liquid in the pan to cook the crust. Stir in the dill, if using.
Place the baking parchment with the crust on top of the potatoes. Holding the pie in place with one hand, slide the paper out with the other. The filo may lose its shape slightly, but you can rearrange it evenly over the potatoes. The spiral should look crinkly anyway.
Use a tablespoon to distribute the egg mixture in between the creases and around the edges of the pastry. Bake on a lower shelf of the oven for 20 minutes until the crust is golden. It will puff up dramatically but settle once out of the oven.
4. Serve
Remove from the oven and cover with a clean dish towel for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to release the crust around the edges, and carefully portion the crust with a knife, avoiding slicing all the way through to damage the pan.
Serve immediately with a lettuce and rocket (arugula) salad, or pickled red onions.
You can see more on Danube: Recipes and Stories from Eastern Europe published by Hardie Grant here.
