Ossetian pies in the Ossetian language. Ossetian pies: the origin of the dish

Ossetian pies have become a gastronomic trend throughout Russia. Along with pizza and sushi, Ossetian pie is a must-have for corporate parties, restaurants include pies on their menus, and delivery services for this dish flourish.

Few people know that for the Ossetians themselves, pies are not just food, but food that has a sacred meaning, because it is pies that give thanks to God. Below we provide a list interesting facts about Ossetian pies.

Why exactly three?

On the solemn Ossetian table, there must be three pies, ideally with cheese. The number three is sacred not only in Christianity. Three cakes on the Ossetian table symbolize the three beginnings of all things: the first cake is God, the second cake is the sky and the sun, the third cake is the earth. Two pies are usually present on memorial table. medium pie, symbolizing the sky and the sun, in this case is not baked, because the deceased will no longer see the sun. Orthodoxy and traditional beliefs are closely intertwined in Ossetia, so for many Orthodox Ossetians, three pirogues are associated with the Holy Trinity.

Where are pies placed?

Pies were placed on a round low table with three legs - fing. The circle, as a symbol of infinity, appears everywhere in Ossetian paraphernalia. At weddings, family celebrations (kuyvd), national holidays, such as the feast of St. George (Dzheorguyba), pies are placed at the beginning of the table in the western part - where the elders sit. The "senior" (histӕr) sits facing east, or facing the front door in order to see everyone entering the room. Before prayer, the pies are slightly moved apart - so that all three pies can be seen from above (they show the pies to God).

How are pies cut?

You can try to look at a solar eclipse with bare eyes, you can divide by zero, but never, you hear, never twist a dish of pies while slicing. Three pies, as we have said before, symbolize the three pillars of all things. If you are planning to move a dish of cakes, just imagine that you are moving the sun and the earth.

Pies are cut with diametrical lines, first a cut is made from top to bottom, then from left to right, the quarters are also divided in half by diametrical cuts.

What are the toppings Ossetian pies?

Ossetian pies in the traditional sense are pies with cheese (uҕlibӕkhtӕ). They have been baked by Ossetians for many centuries. It is ulibakh that is considered a sacred cake. Pie with beet tops in Russian it doesn’t sound very pleasant, but in Ossetian it’s beautiful - tsakhadzhyn. This pie is very popular both in Ossetia and abroad. The filling of tsakhadzhyn is a mixture of cheese and finely chopped beetroot leaves. Kartofjin, as the name implies, is a pie with potatoes (a mixture mashed potatoes and cheese). It appeared in Ossetia in the 19th century. During this period, potato was considered a poor dish, the potato was a very unpretentious and cheap crop, even the poorest could grow it, but not everyone could afford to make cheese pies. In modern Ossetia, a pie with potatoes is no less popular than the same uҕlibҕkh and tsҕkhӕradzhyn. If for a metropolitan gourmet, dessert is, say, tiramisu, then for a real Ossetian, dessert is a meat pie (fidjin), which is served at the end of the meal. Fidjin is stuffed with finely chopped, well-peppered beef and is rightfully considered a gastronomic masterpiece.

There are also pies with beans, cabbage, wild garlic, onions, pumpkin and zucchini, they also have their fans.

Glossary for those who are confused

Ualibakh (walibakh) - cheese pie
Tsakhadzhyn (sakharajin) - a pie with a mixture of cheese and beet leaves
Kartofjin (kartofchin) - a pie with a mixture of mashed potatoes and cheese
Fidzhyn (fitchin) - meat pie

Mikhail Aboev

As life shows interesting story may be not only famous people, but also culinary products. A vivid example of this is the traditional Ossetian pies, which have become one of the national symbols of Ossetia and one of the most famous dishes caucasian cuisine. Today they are widely known throughout Russia. They are loved and appreciated in other countries of the world. After all, these unusual cakes remain something immeasurably more than just a culinary product.

According to researchers, the history of making such pies goes back hundreds of years. The recipe for their preparation was formed under the influence of the nomadic lifestyle of the ancient peoples (Sarmatians, Alans), who laid the foundation Ossetian people. It was the long journeys of wandering tribes that predetermined the basis of the popularity of this dish in different parts of the world. In some legends, there are even stories that fragrant and tasty served as a prototype of the famous Italian pizza. As the legends say, the Romans were so amazed by the taste of Alanian cakes that they tried to repeat them, thereby including them in their daily diet. However, nothing came of it. And, leaving empty efforts, the Romans began to bake pies in which the filling would not be outside, but inside. The traditional recipe is preserved only in the east.

Over the years, the preparation of such delicacies began to have a clear religious connotation. Round cakes were associated with symbols of the sun. In the Christian era, another religious tradition also appeared - decorating the table with exactly three cakes, personifying the trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Similar customs exist to this day. Although religious overtones are not attached to every meal. After all, sometimes food is just food.

Nowadays, Ossetian pies can be tasted all over the world. You can order Ossetian pies in Moscow with delivery.

The list is currently various variations of these dishes is quite extensive. There are cakes with wild garlic, Ossetian cheese, beans, mushrooms, meat (mainly minced beef), chopped pumpkin, cherries and many other fillings. It is believed that only women should participate in the preparation of such dishes. Despite the fact that the process of preparing Caucasian delicacies is quite laborious, each dish needs the love and warmth of women's hands. After all, only in this way are true culinary masterpieces created.

Ossetian cuisine has long been famous for its fragrant pastries. Juicy, herbal-scented Ossetian pies have appealed to many gourmets. But perhaps the most unique of them is the yeast-free meat pie Fidjin, which is eaten with forks. There are several ways to prepare this traditional Caucasian pastry.

Many believe that this particular recipe is the most ancient and real. Maybe this is so, now we will not argue about it. But what, with the right preparation meat pie its taste is remembered forever - an indisputable fact.

Fidjin is considered in the Caucasus festive dish and always takes a place of honor in the western part of the table - where the most respected guests and elders of the family sit.

He is inherent unique property: inside the pie, the meat filling is preserved along with the broth. That's right, lifting the top "lid" of the pie, we see spicy little pieces of meat that envelop fragrant broth. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, let's start in order.

Features of making a pie

Let me repeat myself: fudge pie uses yeast-free dough- that is, it consists of flour, salt, soda, water and vinegar.

You need to take about 400 g of flour, although you may need more: it absorbs water in different ways
Warm water (about a glass)
You will also need half a teaspoon of baking soda and a little 9% vinegar to extinguish it.
Salt - also half a spoon - add for taste

We sift the flour, make a recess in it, pour in water, then put salt and quenched soda bubbling in a spoon. All the ingredients are in place, we begin to knead. First - in a bowl with a fork, then - on a table slightly dusted with flour.

To make the dough less sticky to your hands, you can grease them vegetable oil. The end should be soft. elastic dough, which will be suitable for about half an hour: so much time is needed for the gluten of the flour to swell and all the ingredients to “get along” with each other.

And this is where the features of this pie begin. The main rule of Ossetian pies is a thin layer of dough and a lot of toppings. In our fudge, the bottom layer will be slightly thicker than in other pies in this cuisine. We will do this on purpose - so that the broth with meat does not “run away” from the pie ahead of time:

We distribute a thicker layer in the pan, its edges should protrude beyond its limits
Spread evenly on top of the stuffing prepared in advance, consisting of beef, onion, garlic, spices, salt
We form the top layer thinner, according to tradition
We make small cuts in it. Steam will come out through them: the laws of physics must be respected and the test must not be torn, which is inevitable if the filling is “sealed” tightly
We cover our pastries with this “lid” and send it to the oven.

And now - an exciting moment: our Fidzhin - in Ossetian - is ready. We take it out of the oven, traditionally grease it abundantly butter- and you can start a feast for the whole world. The top thin layer of the cake along with meat stuffing cut into small pieces. We prick them on a fork, dip them in the broth remaining at the bottom of the pie, and enjoy incredible taste and aroma.

It so happened that in the small, relatively secluded town of Rewalsar in the Himalayas, we arrived quite late, so late that it was hard for small, sleepy and lazy provincial hotels to bother with our settlement. The hosts of the hotels shrugged their shoulders, shook their heads and waving their hands somewhere in the direction of the night slammed the doors in front of our noses. But we were willingly, though not free of charge, accepted to live in a guest house on the territory of a Tibetan Buddhist monastery on the lake.

As is often the case in Tibetan places, our meeting and accommodation was handled by a Hindu, since it is unsuitable for Tibetan monks to deal with money and worldly matters. In addition, the monastery had been immersed in night darkness for more than an hour, and the monks should have had enough sleep, so that tomorrow early in the morning they should go to meditation with a cheerful and pious face. The Hindu who gave us the keys to the hotel room told us about this and other sorrows of the world, and in order to somehow console himself, he strongly recommended that we visit this event at seven in the morning.

The main topics are below: buses and trains, flights and visas, health and hygiene, safety, route selection, hotels, food, necessary budget. The relevance of this text is spring 2017.

Hotels

"Where will I live there?" - this question is for some reason very strong, just terribly annoying for those who have not yet traveled in India. There is no such problem. Hotels there are a dime a dozen. The main thing is to choose. Further we are talking about inexpensive, budget hotels.

In my experience, there are three main ways to find a hotel.

Spiral

Usually you will arrive in a new city by bus or train. So around them there is almost always a great mass of hotels. Therefore, it is enough to move a little away from the place of arrival and start walking in a circle with an increasing radius to come across a lot of hotels. inscriptions "Hotel" designates a place where you can have a bite to eat in a large area of India, so signboards are the main landmarks "guest house" And Lounge.

In the zones of mass idleness (Goa, the resorts of Kerala, the Himalayas), the private sector is developed, well, as we have on the Black Sea coast. There you can ask about housing from the local population and focus on the signs " Rent". In Buddhist places you can live in monasteries, in Hindu places in ashrams.

The further you move away from the bus station or railway station, the lower the prices, but hotels are becoming rarer and rarer. So you look at several hotels of reasonable price and quality and return to the chosen one.

If you are traveling in a group, then you can send one or two people light in search of a hotel, while the rest are waiting at the station with things.

If the hotel is refused and they say that the hotel is only for Indians, then insisting on settling is practically useless.

Ask a taxi driver

For those who have a lot of luggage or are just too lazy to look. Or you want to settle near the sights, for example, at the Taj Mahal, and not at the station. Even in large cities there are places of traditional congestion of tourists: in Delhi it is Main Bazaar, in Calcutta it is Sader Street, in Bombay it is also called something, but I forgot, that is, you have to go there anyway.

In this case, find a rickshaw or taxi driver and set the task of where you want to live, in what conditions and for what kind of money. In this case, you can sometimes be taken to the desired hotel for free, even show you several places to choose from. It is clear that the price immediately increases, it is pointless to bargain, since the taxi driver's commission is already included in the price. But sometimes, when you are too lazy or in the middle of the night, it is very convenient to use this method.

Book online

This is for those who like certainty and assurance, more comfort and less adventure.

Well, if you book in advance, then book hotels of better quality and not too cheap (at least $30-40 per room), because otherwise there is no guarantee that in reality everything will be as beautiful as in the photographs. They also complained to me that sometimes they came to a booked hotel, and the rooms, despite the reservation, were already occupied. The owners of the hotel were not embarrassed, they said that a client came with money, and there was not enough willpower to refuse the client with cash. The money was returned, of course, but it's still a shame.

Finding, checking in and staying in cheap Indian hotels can be an adventure in itself, a source of fun and sometimes not so fun memories. But then there will be something to tell at home.

Settlement technology

Get rid of the presence of "Hindu helpers" and barkers, their presence automatically increases the cost of settling.
Go to a hotel that seems worthy of you and ask how much it costs and decide whether it is worth living there, at the same time you have time to appreciate the interior and helpfulness.
Be sure to ask to show the room before checking in, show dissatisfaction and indignation with all your appearance, ask to show another room, most likely it will be better. You can do this several times, achieving everything better conditions accommodation.

Those who are interested in the energy of Osho and Buddha, meditation and India, we invite you all to travel to the places where the greatest mystic of the 20th century Osho was born, lived the first years of his life and gained enlightenment! In one trip, we will combine the exotic of India, meditation, absorb the energy of Osho's places!
The tour plan also includes a visit to Varanasi, Bodhgaya and possibly Khajuraho (subject to availability of tickets)

Key Travel Locations

Kuchvada

A small village in central India, where Osho was born and lived for the first seven years, surrounded and cared for by his loving grandparents. There is still a house in Kuchvad, which has remained exactly the same as it was during Osho's lifetime. Also near the house is a pond, on the banks of which Osho liked to sit for hours and watch the endless movement of the reeds in the wind, funny games and the flights of herons over the surface of the water. You can visit Osho's house, spend time on the banks of a pond, stroll through the village, soak up that serene spirit of rural India, which undoubtedly had an initial influence on the formation of Osho.

In Kuchvada there is a fairly large and comfortable ashram under the patronage of sannyasins from Japan, where we will live and meditate.

A small video "emotional impression" from visiting Kuchvada and Osho's house.

Gadarwara

At the age of 7, Osho moved with his grandmother to his parents in the small town of Gadarwara, where he spent his school years. By the way, the school class where Osho studied still exists, and there is even a desk where Osho sat. You can go to this class, sit at a desk, where our beloved master spent so much time in his childhood. Unfortunately, getting into this class is a matter of chance and luck, depending on which teacher conducts classes in the class. But in any case, you can walk along the streets of Gadarwara, visit the primary and secondary school, the house where Osho lived, Osho's beloved river ...

And most importantly, on the outskirts of the city there is a quiet, small and cozy ashram, where there is a place where, at the age of 14, Osho experienced a deep experience of death.

Video from Osho Ashram in Gadarwar

Jabalpur

Large city with over a million inhabitants. In Jabalpur, Osho studied at the university, then worked as a teacher and became a professor, but the main thing is that at the age of 21 he gained enlightenment, which happened to him in one of the parks of Jabalpur, and the tree under which this happened is still growing on old place.

In Jabalpur we will live in a quiet and comfortable ashram with a magnificent park.

From the ashram it is easy to get to the Marble Rocks - a natural wonder where Osho liked to spend time during his stay in Jabalpur.

Varanasi

Varanasi is famous for its cremation fires, which burn day and night. But it also has a surprisingly pleasant promenade, the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple, boat rides on the Ganges. Near Varanasi is the small village of Sarnath, famous for that there the Buddha read his first sermon, and the first listeners were ordinary deer.

Bodhgaya

The place of Buddha's enlightenment. In the main temple of the city, which is surrounded by a beautiful and extensive park, a tree still grows in the shade of which the Buddha gained enlightenment.

In addition, Bodhgaya has a wide variety of Buddhist temples erected by followers of the Buddha from many countries: China, Japan, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma ... Each temple has its own unique architecture, decoration, and ceremonies.

Khajuraho

Khajuraho itself is not directly related to Osho, except that Osho often mentioned the tantric temples of Khajuraho, and his grandmother was directly related to Khajuraho.

The history of the origin of the Ossetian pie recipe

Real Ossetian pies have become one of the favorite dishes throughout Russia. This a traditional dish on the menu of many restaurants. The history of Ossetian pies dates back six centuries to the ancient Alans, nomads. The first mention of this dish is found in the epic of the North Caucasus - the Nart cycle of myths and legends.

How did the Ossetian pie originate?

Today they are considered a real trend and many chefs know how to cook the thinnest, fragrant cakes with different stuffing. But not every restaurant can convey that

different, unique taste national dish, created several centuries ago. Chefs from the Chirita bakery are familiar with the sacred meaning of a round pie, they know why Ossetians put it on the table three cakes slightly protruding from each other.

The history and origin of Ossetian pies are closely connected with the culture of the peoples of the North Caucasus. Around the 13th century, the Alans hid from the Mongol invasion in the mountains. Then the history of this people began to take shape. Axes - Georgian name nomads from Alanya. At this time, the oral cycles of the Nart epic are being formed, where later researchers will find mention of three traditional pies round shape.

And now Ossetians greet dear guests with this treat, prepare them for weddings and big holidays. According to legend, the number three and the characteristic arrangement of the cakes one above the other symbolizes the levels of existence or three worlds: the world of gods, the world of people and the world of demons. The people of the Caucasus have long interpreted symbolism three pies, How combination of three elements: air, earth and sun. The third version, also mythological, considers the round cakes on the table as a ring of eternity, three times - past, present and future.

What are the toppings for Ossetian pies?

The sacred meaning of the dish nourishes spiritually, but it is worth trying it for real. You can appreciate the taste at any time: the Chirita bakery offers a service such as food delivery to anywhere in the cities of Fryazino and Shchelkovo.

Here you can try real Ossetian pies, the history of which is connected with legends about infinity and the fate of man. Traditionally, flatbread should be slightly crispy on the outside. Bake them for fruit firewood, and inside the Ossetian pies are filled with tender and soft stuffing. Meat fillings:

Beef (traditional Fidgin).

Meat and additional toppings: soft cheese, cabbage, mushrooms, potatoes, green onions.

Chicken and toppings.

Turkey, with additions in the form of mushroom cheese, cumin.

Salmon with cheese or spinach.

The assortment also includes options where there is no meat or cheese, for example, a pie with Ossetian cheese "Ualibakh" or exclusively with vegetables. On the menu you can find different vegetarian toppings:

cabbage and walnuts, mushrooms.

Potatoes with dill.

Tomatoes, greens.
Pumpkin "Nasgin"

beet leaves and cheese.
Fruits and berries.

Traditions associated with Ossetian pies

Three holiday cakes on a plate put on a low three-legged round table. This is a reference to infinity and the solar circle emphasizes the sacredness and symbolism of the cakes on the round table. Not a single wedding, important national holidays can do without this dish. The pie is placed at the head of the table, where the elders of the family traditionally sit, facing east.

It is strictly forbidden to move the plate, as well as to rotate the pies themselves. It is believed that this affects the course of the sun and the earth, as well as the fate of all people in the house. Therefore, they are simply cut into portioned pieces about the same as pizza, with lines along the diameter of the circle.

In ancient times, not all residents of the Caucasus could afford soft sheep cheese or finely minced beef- Ualibakh and Fidjin. Therefore, they started affordable potatoes- Kartoffjin, beet tops - Tsakharajin. They also saved flour, because in the mountainous area wheat was a scarce product.

Chirita bakery offers food delivery in Shchelkovo and Fryazino. Conditions free shipping- Order a pie weighing from 800 grams. We use the most fresh ingredients and strictly follow the old recipe.