Shrovetide-2025: how to celebrate and what goodies to cook
Kyiv • UNN
Maslenitsa 2025 will be celebrated from February 24 to March 2. Find out about the traditions of each day of the celebration and pancake recipes for every taste.
Maslenitsa 2025 is the time when Ukrainians say goodbye to winter and welcome spring. From February 24 to March 2, one of the most colorful holidays will be celebrated according to the New Julian calendar. In Ukraine, each region celebrates Maslenitsa in its own way, with unique rituals and names of days, but the only thing that unites all traditions is a loud farewell to winter and preparation for Lent, UNN reports.
This is a holiday that carries a rich set of traditions and customs that are mixed with folk signs and local color. In ancient times, this week was called Cheese Week, because during it you could enjoy dairy products - cheese, butter, eggs - but meat was forbidden. Today, however, Maslenitsa is a time of fun, delicacies and folk traditions.
One of the most important traditions is the creation of the Maslenitsa scarecrow, a large straw doll dressed in women's clothes. It is a symbol of winter that is burned at the end of the week to see off the cold season and welcome spring.
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Here's how Shrovetide is celebrated day by day:
Monday is the day of guests. Shrovetide begins with the reception of guests. This is the time to eat pancakes with different fillings. An important element is the creation of a straw scarecrow.
Tuesday is a day of courtship. Young people meet for fun games and activities, such as sledding down hills, and pancakes continue to be a staple.
Wednesday is a day of treats. This is the time for family dinners, when housewives invite their sons-in-law and guests to pancakes. The son-in-law has to praise his mother-in-law, which will ensure peace and harmony in the family.
Thursday is a day of celebration. You need to forget about work and enjoy songs, dances, games, and other entertainment.
Friday is mother-in-law's day. Now, the son-in-law invites his mother-in-law to pancakes. They believe that this way they will be able to dispel any misunderstandings and establish harmony in the family.
Saturday is the day of farewell to winter. Everyone goes to visit to spend the winter together and welcome spring. A young wife invites her husband's sister and other relatives to pancakes.
Sunday - Forgiveness Sunday. It is the last day of Maslenitsa, when it is time for forgiveness. People forget their grievances, forgive each other, and in the evening the holiday ends with the burning of the Maslenitsa effigy, symbolizing the end of winter and the arrival of spring.
Recipes for Shrovetide
Pancake week is not only a time for festive feasts, but also for many delicious traditions. One of the most important is baking pancakes.
They were considered a symbol of the sun and were baked every day during Shrovetide. Each housewife had her own signature recipe, and depending on the ingredients, pancakes could be very different. Here are some variations that can be prepared according to recipes by Yevhen Klopotenko:
Pancakes with corn flour and milk
Preparation: 45 minutes, 2 servings.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 300 g of corn flour
- 450 ml of milk
- 3 tbsp. l. oil
- 1 tbsp. l. sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
Step-by-step recipe:
1. Beat 2 eggs with 1 tbsp of sugar with a whisk.
2. Add 300 g of corn flour to the eggs beaten with sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add 450 ml of milk to the bowl and mix the dough again thoroughly to remove any lumps. Add 3 tbsp of oil and ½ tsp of salt to the dough. Mix and leave the dough to stand for 20 minutes.
4. Stir and leave the mixture to stand for 20 minutes. Pour the finished batter in small portions onto a preheated frying pan and fry the pancakes for 1-2 minutes on both sides or until golden brown.
Lush pancakes on kefir
Preparation - 35 minutes, 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 300 ml of kefir
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- 270 g of flour
- 3 tbsp of frying oil
Step-by-step recipe:
1. In a large bowl, combine 300 ml of kefir, egg, 1 tbsp of sugar, 2 tbsp of oil and 1 tsp of baking soda. Mix until the dough is homogeneous.
2. Sift 270 g of flour and add it to the dough. Stir until all the ingredients are combined. The dough should be quite thick.
3. Heat a frying pan and grease it with oil. Spoon the dough into a circle, slightly larger than a pancake.
4. Fry the pancakes for 2-4 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Grease the frying pan before each new pancake. Serve pancakes with sour cream, honey or butter.
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Mineral water pancakes without eggs
Preparation - 1 hour, 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 200 g of flour
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 500 ml of mineral water
Step-by-step recipe:
1. Pour 1 tbsp of sugar, ½ tsp of salt into 200 g of sifted flour, add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and half of the 250 ml of water. Mix the ingredients thoroughly with a whisk to avoid lumps.
2. Pour the remaining 250 ml of mineral water into the dough and stir with a whisk until smooth. Leave the dough to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Heat a frying pan, reduce the heat to 7/9 (slightly above medium) and use a ladle to pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly.
4. Fry each pancake for 2 minutes on each side.
Pancakes without eggs on the water
Preparation - 45 minutes, serving - 2
Ingredients:
- Stir in 200 g of flour
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 500 ml of water
Step-by-step recipe:
1. Pour 1 tbsp of sugar, ½ tsp of salt into 200 g of flour, add 2 tbsp of oil and 250 ml of water at room temperature. Mix the ingredients thoroughly so that there are no lumps.
2. Pour the remaining 250 ml of water into the dough and stir the dough well again, it should be quite liquid. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
3. Heat a frying pan and start frying the pancakes, pouring the batter with a scoop and spreading it well over the entire surface.
4. Fry the pancakes for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown over medium-high heat (7/9).
Whey pancakes without eggs
Preparation - 50 minutes, 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 200 g of flour
- 2 tbsp of sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp oil
- 500 ml of serum
Whey pancakes: step-by-step recipe
2. Add 2 tbsp of sugar and ½ tsp of salt to 200 g of sifted flour, pour in 2 tbsp of oil and 250 ml of whey. Mix thoroughly with a whisk to avoid lumps.
3. Pour the remaining 250 ml of whey into the dough and mix well again. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
4. Heat a frying pan, reduce the heat to 7/9 (slightly above medium) and start frying the pancakes. Pour the batter into the pan with a scoop and spread it evenly over the entire surface.
5. Fry the pancakes for 2 minutes on each side. Cook all the dough in this way.
Traditional dumplings with poppy seeds
Preparation - 55 minutes, 2 servings
Ingredients
For dough:
- 400 g of flour
- 200 ml of water
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 1 tsp of sugar
- ⅓ tsp. salt
- oil or honey for lubrication
For the filling:
- 200 g of poppy seeds
- 150 ml of boiling water
- 2 tbsp of sugar
Step-by-step recipe:
1. Sift 400 g of flour, pour 200 ml of water and 2 tbsp of oil, add 1 tsp of sugar and ⅓ tsp of salt. Mix the ingredients well and knead an elastic dough that will not stick to your hands. Leave the dough to rest for 15 minutes.
2. Grind 200 g of poppy seeds using a convenient method, put them in a saucepan and pour boiling water to cover the poppy seeds - about 150 ml. Cook the poppy seeds for 10 minutes.
3. Carefully drain the excess water from the poppy seeds, add 2 tbsp of sugar and stir.
4. Roll out the dough into a layer just a couple of millimeters thick and cut out circles using a glass or mold. Stick the rest of the dough together, roll it out again, and press it into circles.
5. Put the filling in each circle - about 1-1.5 tsp and close the dumplings.
6. Boil water in a saucepan and cook the dumplings for 4 minutes after boiling. Before serving, brush them with butter or honey to prevent them from sticking together.
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Steamed dumplings with cabbage
Preparation: 1 hour 10 minutes, 4 servings.
Ingredients for the dough:
- 400 g of wheat flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. of baking soda
- 300 ml of kefir
- 1 tbsp. l. of flour for dusting
For the filling:
- 350 g of white cabbage
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large onion
- 2-3 tbsp. l of vegetable oil
- 50 g of butter
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste.
Step-by-step recipe:
1. In a large bowl, combine 400 g of flour, ½ tsp of sugar, ½ tsp of baking soda, ½ tsp of salt and mix.
2. Add 300 ml of yogurt to the bowl with the dry ingredients and knead the dough. Start kneading first with a spoon in the bowl, and then sprinkle 1 tbsp of flour on the work surface, put the dough on top and knead it well with your hands for 2-3 minutes.
3. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes.
4. For the filling: chop 350 g of cabbage, cut the shredded cabbage in half if the pieces are too long. Peel 1 onion and 1 carrot. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater and cut the onions into cubes.
5. Pour 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil into a frying pan, heat and add the onion, fry for 1 minute, then add the carrots and fry the vegetables for about 2 minutes.
6. Put the chopped cabbage in a pan, season with salt and pepper to taste, stir the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes under a closed lid. Stir from time to time. Put the cooked cabbage on a separate plate to cool down and make it comfortable to work with the filling.
7. Roll out the dough into an even layer, 4-5 mm thick. Use a glass to cut out circles of dough. Put the filling on each circle, 1 tsp with a slide. Seal the edges of the dumplings.
Put the dumplings in a double boiler and cook for 10 minutes. Put the finished dish in a bowl and serve with 50 g of butter.
Pancakes with apples
Preparation: 1 hour 5 minutes, Serves 6,
Ingredients:
- 200 g of wheat flour
- 1 tbsp. l. sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil
- 500 ml of milk
For the filling:
- 500 g (about 3 pieces) of sweet and sour apples
- 50 g of butter
- 2 tbsp of sugar.
Step-by-step recipe:
1. Pour 200 g of flour, 1 tbsp of sugar, ½ tsp of salt into a large dry bowl and mix.
2. Add half of the prepared milk - 250 ml and 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Mix the mixture with a whisk.
3. Add the rest of the milk to the dough and mix thoroughly again with a whisk to avoid lumps. Leave the dough to stand for 15 minutes.
4. Grease a frying pan with a few drops of vegetable oil, heat well, and use a scoop to pour a portion of the batter. Spread the batter evenly over the surface, tilting the pan up and down. Fry the pancakes for 1-2 minutes on both sides.
5. For the filling: wash and peel 500 g of apples. Cut out the seed from the apples and cut the fruit into cubes.
6. Put 50 g of butter in a preheated frying pan and wait until it melts. Then add the sliced apples and 2 tbsp of sugar to the pan. Stir the ingredients, cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Transfer the finished filling to a plate and leave to cool at room temperature.
7. Now form the pancakes. Put 2-3 tbsp of apple filling on each pancake and roll it up. Serve the pancakes warm with sour cream or other favorite sauce.
