I first encountered this Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie at a picnic on the eve of Ivana Kupala, Ukraine’s midsummer celebration. Its thin crust enveloped a savory mixture of shredded young cabbage, other vegetables and spices. It was perfect picnic food: fresh, flavorful, easy to eat out of hand on a magical midsummer evening, leaving a lasting memory.
Ivana Kupala is the major cultural event in Ukraine with pre-Christian roots. Ancient chronicles record a holiday named Kupalo, a traditional holiday of the Slavs, celebrated before Ukraine’s ancestors in Kyivan Rus adopted Christianity in 899. These early texts identify Kupalo as the pagan god of the earth’s bounty, responsible for fertility, harvests and the summer solstice. Believers performed special rituals to the life-giving elements of nature – plants, fire, water, believing that fertility and good harvests would not occur without magical intervention. According to ethnologists, the name Kupalo is probably a derivative of the Slavic verb купатись, meaning to bathe, denoting ritual purification.
The Christian church sought to suppress Kupalo rituals but to gain popular acceptance of the new faith, the pagan holiday was linked with the Nativity of John the Baptist (which, according to Biblical accounts, occurred six months after Christ’s birth) around the time of the summer solstice. Since St. John baptized (bathed) Jesus in the Jordan River, the name Ivana (Ukrainian genitive of John) was added to Kupala. Still, the holiday’s pagan roots remained part of the folk ritual for centuries.
Ancestors believed that on the night of Kupala, all evil spirits came out and, to live a better life, it was possible to scare them away with parties and fire. People dressed festively, lit a big fire, honored nature and had fun. Today, the mysticism of Kupala is felt even by those who do not believe in the existence of otherworldly forces, evil or good spirits, or witchcraft but view participation in the yearly Kupala rituals as omens for the future.
Now, Ukrainian communities organize celebrations in local parks on June 23, the eve of Kupala, with music, food vendors, bonfires, and picnicking. Feasting and merrymaking are a widespread tradition. Some attend these colorful public events to observe, eat, and drink, while others participate in the folkloric rituals.
Many legends and rituals related to ancient Slavic beliefs explain the traditions practiced today:
Decorating a Kupala tree or straw effigies: To honor forces of fire and water, young people assemble a ceremonial tree from saplings or large branches or straw effigies of ancient deities, decorating them with flowers, wreaths, colorful ribbons and straw, singing and dancing around them. At the end of the festivities, the tree and effigies are dismantled and either drowned, burned, or spread around the garden as an offering to the sun and water deities for a good harvest.
Straw effigy of pagan deity
Weaving wreaths: Unmarried girls weave wreaths from wildflowers, grasses and herbs. When it gets dark, girls gather near bodies of water, holding the wreaths above the water, they make their most cherished wish, light candles and let the wreaths float downstream. Young men try to retrieve the wreath to capture the girl’s interest. If the wreath floats freely and easily from the shore, the wish will surely come true, and happiness will find the owner of the wreath. A wreath that floats far away predicts a wedding and the one that drowns, another year of single life.
Young women in handmade wildflower, herbs and greenery wreaths eager to learn their future
Making a wish
Floating wreaths
Bathing/swimming: Bathing on Kupala is not common everywhere, but where there is a body of water, folk beliefs hold that water, even morning dew, acquires healing properties that night and will give its nourishing power to all those willing to bathe, cleansing oneself of evil, gaining strength and improving health.
Jumping over a bonfire: Bonfires are built near a body of water, symbolizing sun, water and fire, to ward off evil spirits, especially strong on the longest day of the year. Jumping over the bonfire at the culmination of the celebration is believed to cleanse the body and soul. Another belief is that a couple jumping over a fire hand in hand will have a happy marriage in the future. But it is a sign of trouble if a person’s clothes catch fire.
Is a happy marriage in their future?
Kupala bonfire at Kovalivka, Ukraine
Fortune telling: Young women practice divination on Kupala, hoping to look into the future, make wishes, and find answers to questions about who will become their life partner and with whom they will fall in love and marry.
Searching for the fern flower: Even though the fern does not bloom, Ukraine’s ancestors believed that the flower existed, but it blooms only after midnight on the night of Kupala. The flower is endowed with magical powers and – whoever plucks it will have supernatural mental abilities, be able to cure any disease, understand the language of animals and plants and see hidden treasures. And, of course, finding a flower will bring love and happiness, but these abilities may disappear when the flower fades.
Foodwise, dishes served at Kupala festivities are nutritious and give energy for a night-long celebration. The evening menu varies, but four traditional vegetarian dishes appear on most tables and can be served anytime during the holiday. Although Kupala occurs during a religious fast, roasted meat or shashlik (shish kebab) is often added to the menu to ensure endurance throughout the night.
Bread and pies: The edible symbol of the Kupala holiday is a round loaf of bread decorated with fresh flowers. Pies of all types and fillings, such as this Poured Crust Cabbage Pie, are part of the baking tradition.
Ceremonial porridge: For centuries, а sweetened barley porridge, often served with fresh berries, nuts and honey is consumed in memory of ancestors, and to attract prosperity and happiness to the home. Sharing this dish with others gives people hope for a better future.
Varenyky, Ukrainian dumplings with various fillings, are usually served on the festive table. They personify abundance, wealth and the unity of a close circle.
Potato cheese varenyky with carmelized onions
Beet dough varenyky filled with sweetened curd cheese and raisins with cream and pistachios
Cherry varenyky, which represent summer, sun and nature’s generous gifts, are served most often.
Cherry Varenyky
Nalysnyky: Pancakes are a delicious symbol of the sun. In pre-Christian mythology, they represented a pagan deity whom everyone could “touch” after tasting one. According to tradition, girls bake pancakes on Kupala to attract the boys they like.
Poppyseed filled nalysnyky with sweetened sour cream
Nalysnyky filled with mushrooms
Drinks: Herbs have special power and magic on Kupala, protecting one from evil forces of nature and curing illnesses in humans and animals. Herbal teas, made from linden, cherry, currant, apple leaves and thyme, motherwort and calendula, are served with meals.
No summer or holiday table is complete without kvass, a fermented low-alcohol drink. Bread kvass, long considered a symbol of fertility and well-being, acquires magical charms on Kupala. Of course, vodka and wine are also enjoyed.
The Kupala Eve dinner I attended years ago was fun, and it had a memorable menu, served in two parts: the main course at a picnic in the park and later, dessert at home. Cold, thin slices of buzhenina (roasted herbed pork tenderloin), an assortment of summer vegetable salads of tomato, cucumber and radishes with plenty of dill and other herbs, and this Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie were served at the picnic. Later at home, a dessert buffet of the ritual barley porridge topped with berries, nuts, and honey, nalysnyky (crepes) filled with sweetened homemade cheese, and fresh-out-of-the-boiling-water cherry-filled varenyky with plenty of sour cream. Every dish was delicious, but only the Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie was novel for me. I was intrigued and determined to figure out how to make it.
After several attempts, I created this recipe that replicated the taste of the pie I ate that long-ago night. This kefir-based dough, just enough to hold the filling, is soft with a pleasant tangy flavor and texture. A few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar add brightness to the vegetable and herb filling, making it truly special and memorable. A piece of this Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie is a tasty complement to other savory dishes –meast, soups and salads.
I have since learned that such poured-crust pies are in every Ukrainian cook’s repertoire because they are quick to make from simple ingredients and are often a good vehicle for leftovers. They can be prepared in advance, and easy portability makes them particularly handy for summer picnics. I provide suggestions for filling options after the recipe.
Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie
For the filling:
12 ½ ounces (350 g) green cabbage
4 ¼ ounces (120 g) onions
4 ¼ ounces (120 g) red bell pepper
4 ¼ ounces (120 g) carrots
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Italian parsley
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
3 tablespoons refined sunflower oil or other neutral vegetable oil for frying
1 large egg
For the batter:
13 ½ ounces (400 ml) unflavored kefir
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
350 g all-purpose flour
For garnish:
Black and white sesame seeds (optional)
Preparing the filling: Cut the cabbage, onion, bell pepper and carrot into ⅛ inch (0.32 cm) thick julienne strips, keeping each vegetable separate. Then, roughly cut each vegetable into approximately 1 inch (3.5 cm) pieces to shorten the julienned strands; mince parsley and thyme. Set aside.
Filling ingredients
Julienned filling ingredients
Preheat a large frying pan. Add oil and heat. Once oil is hot, add onions and sauté on medium heat until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in carrots and continue sautéing for another 2-3 minutes. Add pepper and continue sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add cabbage and sauté for another 7-8 minutes. Add vinegar. Season vegetable mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a few more minutes to evaporate visible liquid. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in parsley and dill. Set aside.
Cooked filling
Preparing batter: Lightly grease with oil or spray an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) baking pan and line it with a sheet of parchment that overhangs the pan on two sides. Preheat oven to 375 ºF (190 ºC).
Pour the kefir into a large bowl and whisk in the eggs, salt, and sugar. Add a third of the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk to combine and remove lumps. Whisk in the remaining flour. Pour ½ of the batter on the bottom of the baking pan, spreading it evenly.
Whisk the remaining egg until yolk and white are uniformly blended and stir into the filling. Then, spoon filling in an even layer on top of the bottom crust. Spoon the remaining batter to cover the filling, ensuring no filling is visible through the batter. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Ready to bake
Bake the pie for 60 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift by parchment overhangs to a cutting board. Cool to room temperature before cutting.
Makes 9 – 2 ½ inch (6.35 cm) square portions.
Ready to serve
Suggestions for optional fillings:
Minced meat filling: 1 onion; 1 pound (500 g) minced beef; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon cumin; ½ teaspoon thyme; 1 teaspoon whole coriander; 1 cup (200 ml water); 1 teaspoon each chopped fresh dill; parsley and basil; 1 tablespoon butter.
Chicken filling: 1 onion;1 pound (500 g) chopped cooked chicken fillet; 1 tablespoon parsley; 1 scallion; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon mayonnaise.
Egg, scallions and dill filling: 12 hardboiled eggs; 5 scallions; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon sour cream.
Ham and cheese filling: 4 ounces (100 g) cooked ham 3 ounces (70 g) hard cheese such as cheddar or Swiss; 1 teaspoon chopped dill
Photo credits:
Straw effigy – ID 141623137; © Nataliia Borysenko; Dreamstime.com
Women in wreaths – ID 150219521; © Oleksandr Korzh; Dreamstime.com
Making a wish – ID 150219654; © Oleksandr Korzh; Dreamstime.com
Floating wreaths –ID 176443581; © Leoraduga; Dreamstime.com
Jumping over fire – Stock Photo ID: 1124444609; Shutterstock.com
Bonfire in Kovalivka – Stock Photo ID: 448530280; Shutterstock.com
Other photos: Slava Johnson
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