Paskha

Preparation

In addition to the main ingredient (tvorog), additional ingredients, such as butter, eggs, smetana (sour cream), raisin, almonds, vanilla, spices, and candied fruits can be used.

The paskha can either be cooked or uncooked (raw). Cooked paskha is made in the form of an egg custard, to which the remaining ingredients are folded in. An uncooked paskha is made simply of the raw curd and the other ingredients mixed at room temperature. Since uncooked curd cannot be conserved for a long period of time, these paskhas are typically made smaller.

The tvorog is first pressed in order to eliminate the maximum amount of liquid possible, then put twice through a sieve to make a homogeneous mass. If the paskha is cooked, this mass is then heated. The pan containing the mixture is then placed in a container of cold water and progressively cooled. Afterward, it is placed in a traditional wooden mould assembly called pasochnitsa (пасочница), with a layer of cheese cloth protecting the mould. The wooden mould can be taken apart for cleaning; however, more modern materials, such as plastics, are used nowadays. The mould is cooled for twelve hours in a cold, but not freezing place (typically in a cellar or refrigerator). Finally, the paskha is turned out of the mould, the cheesecloth removed, and put on a dish. It may then be decorated with candied fruits, nuts, or flowers. In contemporary times, cheese paska is not always formed in a mould and is sometimes served in a mound on a plate.

The paskha (or at least a portion of it) will be placed in an Easter basket together with other festal foods, and taken to church to be blessed.