Maslyana Recipes: Ukraine’s Pancake and Cheese Week
Maslyana – Cheesefare Week, the week before Great Lent begins – is Ukraine’s send-off to winter. Meat is already off the table, but dairy and eggs are still fair game, so the week turns into a run of nalysnyky, syrnyky and cheese-filled varenyky before the fast starts in earnest.
Great Lent that follows leads to Velykden, Ukraine’s Orthodox Easter – a table still waiting on its own hub as the site’s recipe list for it grows.
Pancakes and Crepes
THE CREPES
Traditional Ukrainian Nalysnyky
Thin rolled crepes filled with cottage cheese, the week’s signature dish.
LIGHTER TAKE
Healthy Ukrainian Nalysnyky
Buckwheat crepes, a lighter cheese filling.
CHEESE PATTIES
Traditional Syrnyky
Pan-fried farmer’s cheese patties, crisp outside and soft within.
LIGHTER TAKE
Healthy Syrnyky
The same patties, lighter and whole-wheat.
