Slavian Patica. A holiday tradition.

Families have traditions. Its passed down from generation to generation. It may morph over time. But it ties us together.

Our farm family went out and cut our own tree. We gathered to decorate Christmas cookies. The Old Farmer loved Hush Puppies- not what you think! A relative delivered old world pecan cookies in a Hush Puppies shoe box one year and they were  forever after hush puppies! We took turns wrapping presents Christmas Eve. 

AND The Old Farmers Wife made Slavian Patica. We always came home from midnight mass and warmed up around the big oak table with coffee or hot chocolate and the Slavian Patica. And so follows...

SLAVIAN PATICA

Dough

2 cups milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2 beaten eggs

1 yeast cake

  Or 2 dry yeast packs softened in a bit of.    warm water 

6 cups flour

1-Scald milk. (This is an interesting direction. It comes from YEARS ago. Raw milk was scalded to kill any bacteria, and enzymes that affect the dough process.)

2-add butter, sugar, salt

3-cool to lukewarm 

4-add beaten eggs

5-add yeast

6-add flour, a couple cups at a time.         kneading when getting thick enough.

 I now use my kitchen aide so you can go   from mixing in the flour to kneading   easier.

7- knead lightly until smooth

8- set to rise in oiled bowl until doubled,   not more.Gently "punch down". Fold over.   in thirds and let rise again. Two rises.   gives a less coarse dough.

9-roll out, if sticky on floured board, but   

 hopefully it will not be sticky! Spread with   filling

10-roll up and place on greased baking   sheet or better yet an angel food tin.

            ( old school method)

Filling

1/2 cup butter melted

2 cups brown sugar, I recommend dark 

1 1/2 cups ground nuts

1-Add in order listed one at a time

2-Spread thinly on dough if thinly rolled. If.    dough thicker you might want to spread 

  it with more!

Bake at 325' for approx 40 minutes. Watch the time until you find what works best for you and your oven. 

*Warning. Not unusual for it to spring a leak. Seal edges good, but still delicious if it does leak out!

   

Getting the Household Ready for Winter

Winter in New York. 

It can be very cold and very snowy! 

You have to be prepared for possible power outages

and have food supplies. 

So the pantry cupboard is full of the Old Farmer's Wife's canned goods. 

Peaches and green beans, corn and applesauce, tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato juice.

A summers work from the Old Farm garden.

And stash of dry goods is always on hand. Sugars and flour and salt.

The Old Farmer goes out and comes home with 5 or 6 bushels of potatoes.
(He once mentioned the Spud King being the biggest grower of potatos, 

his brother thought it was a hilarious joke. The Old Famer, very offended, 

assured him it was a real farmer's moniker, he would not joke about a thing like that :  )

These went in the outside stairwell he basement, cool but not freezing.
And as it got colder out they would be covered with a heavy blanket.
And deeper into winter what was left was moved 

into the potato bin in the basement proper.

The corn crib was full and hay in the barn

 for the farm animals. 

Coal was loaded into the basement coal bin.
Altho a lot of work a coal furnace worked 
when the power is out too! 

Storm windows were pulled out 
and washed and changed out with the screens.

The winter clothes came out and were sorted.

All the clothes were laundered,
 summer ones put away and the winter

ones put out or donated if outgrown. 

Now the family was ready for winter on the farm.

Old Fashioned Spaghetti Sauce

On the farm Thursday was spaghetti day. 

Today the Old Farmers Daughter is cooking Spaghetti, 

so it seemed a good place to start the "recipe book". 

The Old Farmer's Wife's technique, slightly updated from home canned 

to store bought tomatoes, also a couple cans 

as opposed to 3-4 quarts home canned tomatoes and puree.

2 cans diced tomatoes, recommend 

good brand without to many

stem end pieces or skin in it

2 cans tomato paste

12 fennel seeds, ok...more or less!

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1/3 cup sugar

A couple halved garlic cloves

This is a good start....will smell great simmering as low as you can set it, stir everytime you pass thru the kitchen, hopefully at least every 15 mins! The Old Farmers Wife was working around the house so passed through the kitchen often.   Don't worry....

see note 1*

A couple hours before supper it's time to do the meatballs and sausage.

Take 1 pound of hamburger

Add 1/2 cup bread crumbs
         1/4 cup parmesan cheese
          Few shakes of mixed Italian
    seasoning
          Some minced or diced onion
          Salt/pepper to taste
          1 egg
Mix well, form balls to preferred size, fry or bake, then add to sauce.

And the Sausage, cut mild or hot to 3-4" lengths
Saute until done. Prick in several places to release the grease. Some modern sausage is so fat free you might want to add a bit of oil to pan, it will cook better.
Add to sauce

  NOW the magic

Add diced onion (1/2 to a whole depending on onion and batch size)

to the sausage drippings and saute. 

When tender add a couple scoops of the sauce, drain excess grease if any.

Stir up the sausage flavor into that bit of sauce and add to the pot!

Adjust seasonings, maybe a shake of Italian seasonings. 

Maybe a shake of red pepper flakes, careful, very spicy! 

The Old Farmer used to shake a bit on his plate. 

A tsp. of salt...While it continues to simmer cook your pasta. 

Then enjoy.

*1 - if sauce is to thin you can let simmer longer or you can cheat 

and thicken with cornstarch.