Where it comes from
Pastila (пастила) was invented in the town of Kolomna near Moscow in the 14th century. The orchards of Kolomna and nearby Belyov perfected it: tart Antonovka apples baked, mashed with honey and egg whites, whipped into a pale foam, then dried over multiple days into a fluffy fruit-bar. Tolstoy mentions Belyov pastila in his letters; the technique is still on the UNESCO intangible-heritage list of Russian foodways.
On the plate
An apple-meringue confection from Kolomna — light as air, fruity, faintly sour. Slices into wafer-thin pieces that dissolve on the tongue.
How it works
Pastila is made from puréed apples (typically Antonovka, a sour Russian variety) whipped with egg whites — the apple pectin and egg-protein structure traps air, creating the wafer-light texture. Traditional Kolomna pastila is dried for 4 days at low temperature.
Variations
Kolomna pastila uses Antonovka apple; Belyov version uses cooked apple instead of raw; Tula version adds berries — three Russian apple meringues.
On the Palate
Ingredients
How it's made
6 steps · Show ↓
How it's made
6 steps · Show ↓- 125 min
Bake 1.5 kg of tart apples (Antonovka or Granny Smith) at 180°C for 45 minutes until completely soft. Cool slightly.
- 24 min
Peel and core; pass the flesh through a fine sieve to remove all fibers. You want a satin-smooth purée.
- 33 min
Whisk the purée with 200g honey (or sugar) until pale and slightly fluffy.
- 43 min
Beat 2 egg whites separately to stiff peaks; fold gently into the apple purée until light and homogeneous.
- 5420 min
Spread the mixture 2cm thick on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dry at 70°C with the oven door slightly ajar for 6-8 hours.
- 64 min
Once firm and slightly springy, cool fully, dust with powdered sugar, and cut into bars or roll into logs.
What you'll need
Flat rectangular metal pan (sheet pan, half-sheet, quarter-sheet), 33×23 cm to 45×33 cm, with a low rim. The flat surface gives even heat for cookies, biscuits, roasted vegetables, sheet-pan dinners. Heavy aluminum sheets conduct heat fastest; non-stick coatings make cleanup easier but can warp over 200°C; rimmed half-sheet is the modern American restaurant standard.
Hand-held wire loop tool for beating eggs, whipping cream, emulsifying dressings, and incorporating air into batters. Balloon whisks (large round head) for whipping cream and meringues; French whisks (narrow tear-drop) for sauces in pots; flat whisks (gravy) for pan sauces. Stainless steel is universal; silicone-coated for non-stick pans.
