pasca is a traditional one Romanian Easter bread which is usually made and served during Holy Week Easter Sunday. It’s a rich, sweet bread with a mixture of cheese, eggs, and raisin filling. The bread is usually round and often decorated with a cross.
Pasca is a popular Easter tradition in Romania and is often shared with family and friends during Easter celebrations. It is a Symbol of the resurrection of Christ and the joy of new beginnings.
Pasca is actually a cheesecake made with a sweet yeast dough crust. For the cheese filling, pasca is usually made with local cream cheese similar to farmer’s cheese or cottage cheese. You can also use ricotta or cream cheese instead.
How to Make Pasca – Romanian Easter Bread
To make pasca first, make the dough by activating yeast in milk, then adding flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest, milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes and let it rest for an hour or until doubled in size. On a lightly floured work surface, cut out ⅓ of the dough for the base. Cut off 1/3 of the remaining dough for the cross. The remaining dough, the larger part is for the braid.
How to assemble Pasca
Take the dough for the base and roll it up until it is 26 cm in diameter. Place it on the bottom of a greased pan.
Take the dough for the braid and divide it into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope until it is about 80cm long. Begin braiding the two ropes, starting in the middle. Place the braid around the inside rim of the pan.
Roll and braid the remaining dough for the cross, form a cross and set aside.
Prepare the cheese filling by mixing the cheese with sour cream, sugar, salt, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time and add semolina/flour and raisins/cranberries (if using). Pour the cheese filling in the middle.
Place the cross on top of the cheese filling and brush the cross and brush with beaten egg. Preheat the oven to 160°C and bake the pasca for 40-50 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Allow to cool completely before serving, at least 4-6 hours.
A treat for the senses, this traditional sweet bread with its soft and fluffy texture and unique flavor is perfect for sharing with family and friends during this important holiday. By making Pasca at home, you can experience the joy of creating something special and meaningful for you and your loved ones. So why not try making pasca for Easter and discover a new tradition to enjoy for years to come? If you do, make sure to share the photos with me Instagram ‘Cause I love to see how it unfolds for you. Happy Easter everyone!
Other Easter Recipes You May Want To Try.
This Hot Chocolate Buns are delicious spicy sweet buns with a cross on them, traditionally eaten on Good Friday. They are made of chocolate and raisins and are flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. The Strawberry Easter Cake is a delicious and colorful cake made with layers of strawberry sponge cake, fresh strawberries and white chocolate strawberry frosting. With chocolate nest decoration, it’s a perfect dessert for Easter celebrations. The Easter Bunny Coconut Cream Cake is a sweet and delightful dessert made from two layers of shortcrust pastry, filled with a creamy coconut filling and decorated in an Easter spirit.
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Pasca – Romanian Easter bread
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ¼ tsp (5g) active dry yeast (or 15g fresh yeast)
- 1 tsp (5g) sugar to activate yeast
- 1/3 Cup (80 ml) lukewarm milk to dissolve yeast
- 2 ¾ cups (340 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 Cup (70g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- Lemon zest of a lemon
- 1/2 Cup (120 ml) lukewarm milk
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp (5g) Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 Cup (56g) butter melted
For the cheese filling
- 12 oz (350g) farmer’s cheese, ricotta or cream cheese
- 1/4 Cup (60 g) sour cream
- 1/2 Cup (100g) sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 tsp (1g) salt
- 1 tsp (5g) Vanilla Extract
- Lemon zest of a lemon
- 2 oz (60 g) raisins or cranberries
- 2 tablespoon (20 g) semolina or flour
instructions
Prepare the dough.
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In a medium bowl, combine yeast, 1 tsp (5g) sugar and 1/3 cup (80ml) lukewarm milk. Leave for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add the remaining milk, dissolved yeast, beaten egg, butter and vanilla extract. Start kneading until smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5-10 minutes.
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Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
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Let the dough rest at room temperature (warm room) for about 1 hour until it has doubled in volume.
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Grease a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan and line with parchment paper.
Prepare the braid.
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Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Cut off ⅓ of the dough for the base, about 260g. Cut off another 1/3, about 100 g, from the remaining dough for the cross. The remaining dough, about 350 g, is for the plait.
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Take the pastry for the base and roll it out until it is 26 cm in diameter. Pour into the prepared pan and spread the batter over the bottom of the pan.
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Take the dough for the braid and divide it into two equal pieces.
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Roll each piece into a long rope until it is about 80cm long.
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Begin braiding the two ropes, starting in the middle.
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Place the braid around the inside rim of the pan.
Prepare the cross.
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Take the dough for the cross. Cut off ⅓ of the dough.
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Divide the remaining dough in half and roll out each piece until it is about 20cm long.
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Braid the two ropes to form the longest part of the cross.
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Take the ⅓ of the dough and divide it in half. Roll each piece until it is about 10cm long.
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Braid the two ropes to form the top part of the cross. Tie the two ropes together to form the cross and set aside.
Prepare the cheese filling.
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In a large bowl, mix the cheese with the sour cream, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated.
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Fold in the semolina or flour and add the raisins or cranberries, if using.
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Pour the cheese mixture into the center.
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Brush the cross and braid with a beaten egg.
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Preheat the oven to 320F (160C).
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Bake the bread until golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. If it seems to be browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
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It is important to let it cool completely for at least 4-6 hours before serving.
Video
Nourishment
Portion: 1 serving of 14Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 36.8GProtein: 9.7GFat: 8.2GSaturated Fatty Acids: 4.6GCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 271mgPotassium: 102mgFiber: 1GSugar: 16GCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg