{"id":9386,"date":"2021-08-27T02:11:39","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T02:11:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/?p=9386"},"modified":"2021-08-27T02:11:39","modified_gmt":"2021-08-27T02:11:39","slug":"vasterbottensost-pie-kraftskivas-bff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/vasterbottensost-pie-kraftskivas-bff\/","title":{"rendered":"V\u00e4sterbottensost Pie: Kr\u00e4ftskiva’s BFF"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Mark Stebnicki from Pexels.<\/p><\/div>\n

My first ever<\/span> kr\u00e4ftskiva<\/span><\/i><\/a> was at the end of August. I fumbled through learning to eat the small, briney, dilly <\/span>kr\u00e4ftor\u00a0<\/span><\/i>watching my Swedish family crack and slurp. Although crayfish<\/span> are the reason for the party, the side dishes are often the stars. My <\/span>kr\u00e4ftskiva<\/span><\/i> debut was also my first time eating <\/span>V\u00e4sterbottensostpaj<\/span><\/i>, a beloved, cheesy egg tart, and staple at the Swedish holiday table. This week, we\u2019ll enjoy some history behind V<\/em><\/span>\u00e4sterbottensostpaj<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and why its key ingredient is so special, it\u2019s even banned in the U.S.<\/span>
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What is V\u00e4sterbottensost<\/em>?<\/span><\/h2>\n

V\u00e4sterbottensost<\/em> is a cheese that is made, you guessed it, in the northern Swedish<\/span> landskap <\/span><\/i>(province) of <\/span>V\u00e4sterbotten<\/span><\/i>. Like many great inventions, this beloved delicacy was created by accident. The story goes that <\/span>in 1872, <\/span>mejerskan<\/span><\/i> (<\/span>dairy maid) Ulrika Eleonora Lindstr\u00f6m was stirring yst<\/em> (curd) to make cheese when she was distracted by her lover, a mj\u00f6lkdr\u00e4ng<\/em> (dairy hand) on the same farm. <\/span>Av en slump <\/span><\/i>(by chance), the neglected curd turned out deliciously well and V\u00e4sterbottensost<\/em> was created!<\/span>
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\n<\/span>John Duxbury, the Editor and Founder of Swedishfood.com writes that <\/span>V\u00e4sterbottensost:<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

– is a hard cow’s milk cheese,
\n<\/span>– has a fairly high fat content (31%),
\n<\/span>– has a fairly strong flavour,
\n<\/span>– tastes something like a cross between Cheddar and Parmesan and is slightly salty,
\n<\/span>– is a light yellow colour,
\n<\/span>– has tiny holes and a firm granular texture.<\/span><\/p>\n

V\u00e4sterbottensost <\/i>is always aged for at least 14 months and so, unlike Cheddar, mild versions are not available.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another myth about V\u00e4sterbottensost<\/em> is that its special flavor comes from a cosmic place. A comet that struck the earth long ago created <\/span>kalkrik<\/span><\/i> (calcium-rich) soil in the Burtr\u00e4sk, V\u00e4sterbotten area. When the cows eat grass produced from this element-rich sediment, those nutrients remain in the milk that is used to produce this cheese. Some credit the region’s geology as the key ingredient to the unique flavor that cannot be replicated elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

V\u00e4sterbottensostpaj<\/em>, a Swedish Culinary Classic<\/span><\/h2>\n

…say that<\/strong>\u00a0fives times fast! <\/span>Paj<\/span><\/i> is a Swedish word that works for both savory and sweet pies. In this case, V<\/em><\/span>\u00e4sterbottensostpaj, <\/span><\/i>also affectionately referred to as <\/span>PB-paj <\/span><\/i>for short, is more like a quiche or tart. This classic <\/span>svensk matr\u00e4tt<\/span><\/i> (Swedish dish) is served warm or cold, and often accompanied by what I\u2019m now going to call \u201cthe Swedish garnish trilogy\u201d; a dollop of cr\u00e8me fraiche, finely-diced <\/span>r\u00f6dl\u00f6k<\/span><\/i> (red onion), and a pile of vibrant red<\/span> l\u00f6jrom<\/span><\/i> (roe, or Kalix caviar). <\/span>
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\n<\/span>V\u00e4sterbottensost<\/em> is no longer available in the U.S. due to its sodium nitrate content no meeting FDA standards. American folk turn to other delicious cheeses to match the tangy quality only found in VB. My friend Patrice, whom you’ve met via my Waffle Day with Nordic Food Geek Patrice Johnson<\/a> post, suggests subbing aged cheddar, <\/span>Parmesan, and <\/span>Gruy\u00e8re. See Patrice’s own recipe for V\u00e4sterbottensostpaj<\/em> here<\/a>.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>If you\u2019re in Europe, while this delicacy isn’t banned, you may still have a hard time finding it. Swedishfood.com mentions that the U.K. food chain Waitrose has begun to manufactured own version.<\/span>
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Swedish V\u00e4sterbottensost<\/em> Pie Recipe<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re lucky enough to get your hands on some prized V\u00e4sterbottensost<\/em>, here\u2019s a recipe p\u00e5 svenska<\/em> from Swedish grocery giant Coop. It’s their grundrecept<\/em> (basic recipe)<\/a>, but you’ll find many variations with kantareller<\/em> (chanterelles), dill, ham, and so on. I have not translated the recipe below but it’s pretty straightforward. My advice for cooking with a Swedish recipe is this: speak to your ingredients as you go – literally! “Hej gr\u00e4dden! Tjena degen!”<\/em> Call out the Swedish ingredient names and repeat each step with the Swedish verbs as you do each instructed step. Adding a physical process to your Swedish will help you retain more. Here’s your chance to try this method with PB-paj<\/em>!\u00a0<\/span>
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\n<\/span>Ingredienser <\/b>(8)<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Pajdeg – <\/b><\/em>Pie Dough<\/b><\/p>\n