Russian Oven: Guryevskaya porridge, a luxurious meal made easy

Guryevskaya kasha (porridge) is a classic dish of Russian cuisine. Tender semolina combined with berries and nuts provides a rich sweet taste that is sure to go down well with the kids. Boiled and then baked in an oven, this porridge looks more like a dessert.

The famous porridge was invented in the early 19th century by Zakhar Kuzmin, a peasant who served as a cook in the house of Russian Finance Minister Dmitry Guryev. The official was so carried away by this splendid kasha that it eventually took his name.

Guryevkaya kasha was held in high regard by the court of Tsar Alexander III, who considered the porridge his favorite dish.

The recipe of Guryevkaya kasha has remained unchanged since tsarist times. It is mentioned in the culinary books of William Pokhlebkin, the foremost expert on the history of Russian cuisine, as well as in The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food, a legendary Soviet cookbook.

So let's revive this long-living dish — it's not that hard.

To prepare the kasha, you will need:

• 1/2 liter (17 fl. oz.) milk
• 150 grams (0.9 cups) semolina
• 80 grams (3/4 cups) sugar (we used vanilla sugar)
• 130 grams (1 cup) fresh or frozen berries 
• 35 grams (2,5 tablespoons) butter
• 50 grams (0.35 cups) almonds
• 2 eggs

Here we go!

• Bring the milk to the boil in a pot, add sugar.
• Gradually add the semolina, boil for 10 minutes, stirring the blend.
• Remove the pot from the heat, add the butter and raw eggs, mix the blend.
• Mill the almonds manually or in a blender.
• Take a baking pan or a casserole, oil it with butter, sprinkle the blended almonds, lay out the berries. 
• Spread out the boiled porridge. Cover it with the rest of the sugar and blended almonds.
• Put the porridge into the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
• Pour the syrup or decorate the porridge with berries to your taste.

Bon appétit! 

Russian oven is a new video series devoted to Russian pastries, featuring traditional age-old pies and cakes, inventive cookies and tarts of recent years, plus Soviet classics and much more. Stay tuned!

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