Scovergi din Lunca Dunarii (Romanian appetizer: Scovergi)

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In Lunca Dunarii, scovergile (sau Scoverzile cum le spun taranii) se fac foarte simplu. Din coca de paine, prajite in untura de porc sau, mai nou, in ulei. Taranii prin partile acestea erau saraci si mancarea lor era simpla. Femeile munceau ziua la camp, asa ca atunci cand veneau acasa n-aveau timp de cine stie ce fineturi culinare.

Scovergile au avut avantajul ca puteau fi mancate simple, sau cu branza. Tatal meu are si acum, dupa mai mult de 70 de ani, nostalgia scovergilor calde, presarate cu “zar” (adica zahar) si rulate ca o clatita, inainte de partida de fotbal cu mingea din carpe.

Eu nu fac foarte des mancarea asta, pentru ca are foarte multe calorii. Baiatul meu, insa, o adora, asa ca trebuie sa-i fac pofta din cand in cand. De data asta am facut atat scovergi simple, cat si umplute cu branza.

Ingrediente pentru 10 scovergi

·         500 g faina

·         15 g drojdie proaspata (sau 1 pachetel drojdie uscata)

·         300 ml apa

·         1 lingurita sare

·         ½ lingurita zahar sau miere

Umplutura pentru 5 scovergi

·         1 ou

·         300 g telemea de oaie

·         Ulei destul de mult, pentru prajit

Coca se face ca la paine. Dizolva drojdia si zaharul in 100 ml apa.

• Amesteca faina, apa, drojdia si sarea. Framanta pana ce coca nu se mai lipeste de maini si devine matasoasa.
• Pune intr-un castron mare, Acopera cu un prosop si lasa la crescut 1 ora sau pana ce isi dubleaza volumul.
• Scoate coca din castron pe o suprafata presarata usor cu faina si framanta sa scoti tot aerul din coca.
• Imparte coca in 10 mingiute de marimi egale. Intinde fiecare mingiuta sub forma circulara nu foarte subtire.
• Ia o scovarga si pune 1/5 din compozitie aproape de centru. Indoai-o pe mijloc si cu degetele lipeste cele doua margini. Repeta cu inca 4 scovergi.
• Celor care au ramas fa-le o mica taietura in centru.
• Incalzeste bine uleiul. Prajeste fiecare scovarga pe ambele parti, pana ce devine aurie.
• Scovergile pot fi mancate calde, sau reci. A doua zi, insa, se intaresc si nu mai sunt la fel de bune ca atunci cand sunt proaspete

English version

This Romanian dish comes from Danube Meadow. They are very simple: from bread dough, fried in  pork lard or, more recently, oil. The peasants leaving in those parts were poor and their food was simple. Women work on the field, so when they came home they did not have time for who knows what culinary delicacy. Scovergi ( say sco- ver- dgee) had the advantage that could be eaten straight, or with cheese. My father is still nostalgic , after more than 70 years, about his childhood scovergi, which were hot, sprinkled with sugar and rolled as a pancake, before his soccer game with the ball of rags

I don't cook very often this food because it has many calories. But my son loves them very much, so I have to make them from time to time. This time I made scovergi both simple and filled with cheese.  

Ingredients for 10 scovergi 

• 500 g flour  

• 15 g fresh yeast (or 1 pack dry yeast)  

• 300 ml water 

 • 1 teaspoon salt 

 • ½ teaspoon sugar or honey  

Stuffing for 5 scovergi  

• 1 egg  

• 300 g sheep cheese 

• oil long enough for deep frying

• Make the bread dough. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 100 ml of water.
• Combine flour, water, yeast and salt. Knead until dough no longer sticks to hands and becomes silky.
• Put in a large bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour or until it doubles its volume.
• Remove dough from bowl on a surface sprinkled lightly with flour and knead the dough to remove all the air from inside.
• Divide dough into 10 equal size balls. Stretch each ball in a circular shape, not very thin.
• Get a scovarga and put one fifth of composition close to the center. Bend in the middle and stick the two edges with your fingers. Repeat with another 4 scovergi.
• Those who remained do them a small cut in the center.
• Heat oil well. Fry each scovarga on both sides until golden.
• Scovergi can be eaten hot or cold. The next day, however, harden and are not as good as when they are fresh.