The Authentic Schnetki

The recipe for the orginal Schnetki has been altered and modified over the years until it finally retains only its original ‘name’. Today, in most Mennonite kitchens it is now indistinguishable from a ‘biscuit’.

I still make them the way they were made in the Ukraine by the Mennonites – the recipe passed on to me by my Mother in law.
They have always held a place of honor in my kitchen – maybe more so than any other food - because of what Schnetki mean to my husband.

Let me give you the background story.

In the month of September of 1941 my husband’s life was forever altered.
He was a 4 year old boy living with his parents and younger brother in a Mennonite village in the Ukraine.
It was WWII, and the order had come down from the Ukrainian officials -- all men 16 and over were to be gathered out of the Mennonite villages and marched to Siberia. Because they were of German descent, they were now enemies of the state.
My husband’s father was one of those men who were marched away under guard that September morning – many never to see their families again.
The tearful wives and mothers tried to do what they could to send some items of comfort with their men, knowing that they would be encountering harsh treatment and impossible living conditions.
My husband very clearly remembers watching his mother bake Schnetki on the outside hearth and pack them up for her husband. That was the last time he saw his father . The image of his father walking out of his life, carrying the Schnetki is forever imprinted on his mind!

And for the 68 years since that day, Schnetki have been his ‘comfort’ food… perhaps subconsciously connecting them with the father he was robbed of.
I could not count how many Schnetki I have made for him ….. and still do. When I ask him what he is hungry for I know the answer before I ask.

Unless you are like my husband, with no need to watch cholesterol or high blood pressure or weight… you will not be rushing into your kitchen to make these Schnetki. I am posting the recipe to preserve the original recipes of our Mennonites in the Ukraine.
Mennonites, historically being a hard-working people on the land , did not worry about calories or fat-content in food ! Even so – they have for the most part been a hardy, healthy people , enjoying longevity.

There is a reason this ‘biscuit’ was named Schnetki . Schnetki is not a German word - it has obviously 'phonetically evolved' over the years from the word Schnecke meaning 'snail' and that will become self-explanatory as you see that the pastry is rolled up like a 'snail'.

Ingredients

3 cups flour

2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

1 egg + enough milk to make one cup

Method

Mix flour and salt together , then cut in the shortening and butter

Put egg into a measuring cut and fill to make 1 cup

Mix and turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth, form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap

chill in fridge overnight! VERY IMPORTANT!

then.....

Roll out thin and spread with butter

Starting at one edge roll dough to about the size of your middle finger , then cut along edge of roll

and roll dough again ... repeating until all the dough is rolled and cut into desired lengths... approx. 4"

Bake in very hot oven 425' until browned ... about 15-20 minutes.

When broken open they are very flakey.

I also use the same dough to make perschki .... (fruit pockets)

For plums or other fruit I will do the traditional four corners to the center style but for apples I always fold two sides up and over the apples. Cut the buttered pastery in squares and put 1/2 tsp flour and 1 tsp sugar on each square, lay apple on top and fold the two sides over.

Schnetki are traditionally eaten with soup ....but I doubt there is a wrong time or meal to eat them .. according to my husband !