Where it comes from
Pască is the ritual Easter bread baked across Romania for the Resurrection feast — a sweet dough ring cradling a sweet cheese filling, its name tied to Pascha, 'Easter'. It is blessed at church and shared as the holiday's centrepiece.
On the plate
The bread ring is soft, buttery and faintly citrus-scented, giving way to a warm cheesecake-like center flecked with plump raisins. Sweet but not cloying, it tastes of celebration and a kitchen full of family.
How it works
An egg- and butter-enriched dough stays tender and rises slowly because the fat coats gluten strands, while the high-protein farmer's cheese and eggs in the filling set into a custardy bake. The egg wash gives the signature glossy, deep-gold crust.
Variations
Some bake the cheese filling separately atop a plain base; regional versions add cocoa swirls, more raisins, or a touch of semolina to firm the filling.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 10
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓40 min active · 150 min waiting
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓- 115 min
Make a rich yeasted dough with flour, milk, eggs, sugar, butter and a little lemon zest, and knead until smooth.
- 290 min
Cover and let it rise until doubled in size.
- 38 min
Mix the filling from farmer's cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla and raisins.
- 410 min
Shape most of the dough into a ring on a lined tray, building up the sides to hold the filling.
- 57 min
Roll thin ropes from the reserved dough and twist them into a cross over the center.
- 64 min
Spoon the cheese filling into the well and lay the dough cross on top.
- 72 min
Brush all over with beaten egg for a glossy finish.
- 845 min
Bake until golden and set, then cool before slicing.
