• Pies, with various fillings and in various shapes, have been considered emblematic of many cultures throughout history.
If here, in the Moldova area, the pie "poale-n brâu" it is a defining dish, the history of pies spans thousands of years and territories much larger than our country.
Although they are interpreted in different versions depending on the area where they are produced, pies are, as a rule, the dish obtained from dough with various fillings, salty or sweet. At the same time, the shapes are also different: for example, in the United States of America, as a rule, the pie is round and with dough patterns on top, in Greece the rolled one is famous, and here, the most common types of pie are folded .
Photo: Fresco from the tomb of Ramesses II, Valley of the Kings, Egypt
In history, less refined forms of this dough preparation are attested early. Thus, drawings of various types of pies were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II. It seems that the bakers of the pharaohs incorporated nuts, honey and fruit into the bread dough, resulting in a rudimentary form of pastry. Later these dishes were filled with meat, thus becoming a much more substantial product.
Pie recipe spread
A much wider variety of pies was developed by the Romans, famous for their banquets where sophisticated dishes were served. It is for the first time that fat is added to the composition of the dough, obtaining, through kneading, an elastic dough. The expansion of the Roman Empire also led to the spread of the pie recipe throughout the conquered territory, being adapted according to the ingredients available in the respective areas.
In the Middle Ages, the popularity of pies grew exponentially, due to the varied range of ingredients that could be used for fillings, but also due to the fact that they could also be baked on an open fire, in pots shaped like pans. The wrapping technique was similar to that of pies.poale-n brâu".
Photo source: © Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Writings of the period document that at the coronation of King Henry VI, as well as at Christmas feasts at the royal court, diners feasted on peacock pie, which was brought to the guests with great pomp. And today, meat pies are made mostly in the UK, from offal, minced chicken or beef, or finely chopped steak scraps.
The settlers they also took the pie recipe to the New World, where they adapted it to the ingredients offered by the new continent. However, the first pies baked here by the pilgrims were predominantly those with meat filling, later appearing the ones that became symbolic, prepared from berries and other fruits specific to the American continent. The pies were baked in round shapes, with two sheets of dough, one on top and one underneath.
Traditions and customs in the preparation of pies
In our country, many traditions and customs are related to the preparation of pies. And in the work of Costache Negruzzi, "The History of a Pie", the pastry preparation even becomes a means of obtaining positions at the Royal Court. Thus, a boyar is made virtuous after sending a pie to the ruler's table, also removing the threat of punishment for those who did not cook his favorite dish:
“His Highness had sat down at the table, but his face was gloomy. The Ediclii and Iciolani stand dumbfounded before him, hands on their chests. The whole court trembles; for there was nothing else to say, than to send to Ocnă six men, to put the princes of the court in a phalanx, and to impale the great believer with his ear. What is this rage for? – Because the scoundrels forgot to make pies at his majesty's table. Guilty and unforgivable oblivion!”
Incidentally, the same writing also emphasizes the importance of the maker of goodies of old, who passed through the streets of the cities, delighting the lustful of all ages and selling his wares. "You remember our childhood - gone never to return! - what a pleasant impression the shout: coooovrigi! gogoseeeeee! How we all ran, children and old, and the greatest and the least; with what impatience I waited for the pie-maker to put down the pan from his head, and how quickly I made fun of him!'
Festivals dedicated to the beloved dish
The Romanians' passion for these dishes is proven by the numerous festivals dedicated to pies, such as those in the locality Oituz, Bacău county, the one from STAUCENI, Botoșani county, or the one from (RO) Suceava, where visitors are offered several types of pies, from the famous "poale-n brâu", to those with salty cheese, meat, cabbage, spinach, pumpkin and potatoes.
At the same time, the preparation of pies is linked to religious customs, such as Easter, when in the south of Moldova and in Bucovina, women bake pies that they give as alms. For the New Year, money and ears of wheat are put in the pies. Tradition says that the one who finds the penny will have wealth all year, and the one who finds the ear of corn will enjoy riches.
Anyone who arrives in Moldova must enjoy the famous ones "poale-n brâu". The particularly savory taste is obtained from only seven traditional ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, milk, butter, eggs and cheese.
"Poale-n brâu" – the emblematic Moldavian pie
The name is explained for Agerpres by Florentina Buzenschi, director of the Museum of Ethnography of Neamț county: "This name comes from the women who used to wear quatrains and, in order to be more relaxed in their movements, when they were washing or doing work, they would lift the corner of their quatrains and put it in their waist. This is where the name of the "Poale-n brau" pies comes from.
Previously, these pies were made with bellows cheese, which was sweetened with sugar. Sweet cheese pies are an urban fashion, but in the countryside the traditional recipe is preserved. The peasants did not have the cult of diversified food, and sweets were made only on special occasions or to give alms. Pies with cheese are given as alms at the Winter Estates or when entering the Easter fast."
Regardless of the shape, the filling, the way of presentation - braided, rolled, wrapped, with dough on top, or simply with a generous layer of juicy fruit - for those with an appetite, a piece of pie will be, every time, a moment of pure indulgence.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă.
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