savor — guide to food & dining on the azalea coast
babka & paska
I polish babka
n Russian, Polish and other Eastern European cultures, there are two
traditional Easter breads — babka and paska, which have significant religious
meaning. In Castle Hayne, where a large Polish settlement was established
years ago, the bread-baking custom continues today by members of
St. Stanislaus Church.
Historically, the Polish did not eat eggs during Lent, and the babka bread,
which typically includes a dozen egg whites, became a way for them to break
Lent, explains Tricia Luciano, a member of St. Stan’s.
“Polish Easter babka celebrates the return of the egg to the diet after the restrictions
of Lent,” says Luciano. “There are little variations of the bread — some have rum,
others have all kinds of fruit.”
Her recipe has been modified to meet today’s health standards.
“My recipe has a lot less eggs. The recipe normally calls for 15 egg yolks and
lots of butter — too much cholesterol, so it was modified.”
Mary Elizabeth Dmytruk, 90 years old and a lifelong resident of Castle
Hayne and member of St. Stan’s, says, “The babka was blessed by the priest
and then shared with everyone at Easter dinner. It was considered an Easter
blessing.”
She says the babka is usually baked in a coffee can so that it comes out in the
shape of a round loaf. It is decorated with a cross made from icing or jelly beans.
While there are various styles of paska, it is commonly a 10-inch round, with
braiding or religious symbols shaped into the bread. Members of the congregation
also carry paska to the church in baskets for blessings by the priest.
Luciano learned of the baking traditions through her work with the annual
Polish festival held in the fall, for which she chairs the Bake Shoppe.
“The elders passed down the recipes. We would get together and bake,” she
says. From nut rolls to poppy seed rolls — all traditional Polish breads — with
one common denominator: They should not be overly sweet. Luciano recalls one
of the priests tasting their breads and scolding, “‘Ah! It’s too sweet, too sweet! You
Americans, you like everything so sweet.’ He told us to keep it not so sweet —
to keep it simple.”
Top: Babka baked in a Bundt pan, served in slices, signifies the end of Lent in the
Polish community. Tricia Luciano’s recipe is updated for today’s health standards,
but still makes for a delicious celebratory treat.
74
WBM march 2013
by Tricia Luciano
4 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 packages dry yeast
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup butter
1 cup hot milk
½ cup raisins, cranberries or nuts
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Icing:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon boiling water
Activate the yeast according to
package directions. Beat 3 eggs and
add to mixture.
Heat milk. Dissolve butter in milk. Add
flour, sugar, salt, vanilla and raisins to milk
mixture and then to the yeast mixture.
Grease two Bundt pans. Fill evenly
with dough. Cover with warm towels
and allow dough to rise 2 hours. Bake
at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
Allow to cool, then ice.