Ca pe la Brad: cașul la cuptor / Baked caș cheese

(for English version scroll down the page)

 

Fiecare avem nevoie de povesti spuse la gura sobei sau la buza unei ulcele de vin vechi si aromat de stiinte stiute doar de unii. Toate-s efemere cum toate-s uitate, mai devreme sau mai tirziu, prin colturi de memorie. Citeodata, reusim sa scormonim prin praful aducerilor aminte scotind la lumina si reinviind legende. Ca ne ajuta, ca nu, asta ramine a fi, la un moment dat, o optiune/alegere personala.
Revenind pe tarimul oalelor si-al bucatarelilor, fie ca vrem fie ca nu, trebuie sa acceptam ca prezentul se bazeaza pe-un trecut care este doar al nostru si care ne-a desenat tiparul pe care sa ne cladim personalitatea, de orice tip ar fi ea. Existam datorita acestor legende, datorita culorii specifice data vietii, datorita acelui cod genetic (impropriu spus, iertare!) care ar trebui sa ne defineasca viitorul.

Greu mi-a fost pusa la incercare sensibilitatea apartenentei natale atunci cind am descoperit printre materialele Maestrului o retipisa pe care scria „de la Brad”. C-o fi fost Brad-ul meu hunedorean, c-o fi fost altul nu stiu, insa stiu sigur ca am plecat gindul si crestetul in fata unei simplitati mai mult decit evidente ce-si lafaia auriul in farfurie. Iar gustul special, aparte, m-a purtat cu mii de ani in urma pe malurile Crisului Alb ce strabatea lin dealurile Zarandului, lipindu-mi urechea de firul ierbii verzi de acasa ascultind scormonitorii pamintului dupa aurul atit de dorit de altii.

Iar vocea interioara a pamintului incepu sa-si urzeasca povestea in care metafore teseau parabole si legende ce deschideau usa esentei apartinind unei realitati imbracate in arome, texturi si gusturi demult apuse.

500 gr caș sfarimat in bucati
1 l-ra unt
1 l-ra faina
4 oua
1 ceasca smintina
sare,piper
boia

O oala/cratita de pamint se unge cu unt; se aseaza casul intr-un singur strat.
Ouale, faina, smintina, sarea si piperul se bat bine apoi se toarna peste cas.
Se presara deasupra cu boia(eu am folosit varianta afumata) apoi totul merge la cuptor, la un foc molcom, pret de-o juma’ de ceas. Sau pina totul capata o frumoasa culoare aurie.
Poti servi mincarea asta cu o salata incropita ad-hoc(si-mi asum geneza acestei salate): fisii de ardei copt curatat de pielita si seminte si amestecate cu masline negre, sare, zahar, otet balsamic si citiva stropi de ulei de masline, dupa propriul vostru gust.

La loc de cinste pun retipisele astea doua pentru ca gust divin are lucratura in sine, va asigur !

BAKED CAS*

We all need to hear stories, stories told in front of the fire place while tasting a good old wine made by those who understand the art of wine making, or can just simply talk to the grape juice before turning it into wine.

Everything is relative, as all is sooner or later placed and forgotten on little shelves into the corners of our memory. Sometimes we are successful in scratching through the memories bringing back to life forgotten legends. If this helps or not, it is ultimately a matter of personal choice.

Getting back to the cooking world, regardless if we like it or not, we have to accept the fact that the present is based on a past that is ours only and shaped our foundation on which we are building our personality. We exist because of these (sometimes) forgotten legends which are giving life a purpose, a light, a meaning.  We exist because these legends represent our DNA and shape the future towards our destiny.

One day I was going through Maestro’s recipes, when all of a sudden I discovered a title that captured my attention immediately: „de la Brad” – „from Brad”. I do not know if this „Brad” was a direct referral to my native town, but my sensibility towards belonging to this blessed area of the Hunedoara County bent in front of the simplicity of the recipe, yet so majestically presented. The special, unique taste and the goldish colored product, took me back thousands of years on the banks of the River „Crisul Alb” (working its way through the hills of „Zarand” Region) and while closing my eyes and listening to the fress grass on the ground, I could still hear the miners digging for the most wanted metal these lands have been producing for so long.

And the inner voice of the land started to tell the story in which metaphores were creating legends that opened the door towards the essence belonging to a reality dressed in aromas, textures and tastes long gone.

 

500 gr caș *, shattered into pieces
1 tbs butter
1 tbs flour
4 eggs
1 cup of sour cream
salt and pepper
paprika powder

A clay pot / pan well greased with butter; cheese is placed in a single layer.
Eggs, flour, cream, salt and pepper are all well stirred, then pored over cas.
Sprinkle the top with paprika (I used a smoked version) then all goes in the oven at a slow fire, for a half-hour. Or until it gets a nice golden color.
You can serve it with a roasted red peppers salad ( roasted peppers, peeled of skin and seeded, then torn into strips and mixed with black olives, balsamic vinegar, salt, sugar, all to taste).

Divine taste, be sure of that !

Note:

* Caș = is a type of semi-soft fresh white cheese produced in Romania.  It is unsalted (sometimes lightly salted), made out of sheep milk or cow milk. If stored in brine, caș turns into telemea after 2–3 weeks.  Caș cheese is also used to make other types of cheese such as brânză de burduf and cascaval. ( Etymology: Latin caseus.)

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