Dairy products
naturally soured milk or cultured soured milk
old peasant tradition
Milk, fermentation, whey, potatoes, porridges, šaltibarščiai, curd, cheeses
Soured milk, Cultured sour milk
What is rūgpienis?
Rūgpienis is soured milk whose sweet milk flavor turns into mild acidity and a thicker texture. In Lithuania it was long an everyday peasant food.
It was eaten with porridges, bread, boiled or fried potatoes, and used for šaltibarščiai, pancakes, curd, and cheeses.
Rūgpienis and kefir
Rūgpienis and kefir are both fermented dairy products, but kefir is usually cultured with a specific kefir culture and is thinner, with a sharper flavor.
The rūgpienis tradition is simpler: milk sours from a starter or from natural lactic acid bacteria, and the texture is often firmer.
Place on the Lithuanian table
Rūgpienis goes especially well with hot potatoes. This pairing shows the simplicity of Lithuanian dairy-and-potato cooking: few ingredients, but a complete, filling meal. Curd was also made from soured milk from old times: in eastern Aukštaitija, pots of soured milk were placed in a warm oven overnight, and in the morning the risen curds were tipped into a cheese bag to drain.
The acidity of rūgpienis is useful in batter as well: pancakes and sklindžiai made with rūgpienis are lighter and gentler.
Safety and cleanliness
In the past, milk soured more naturally, but in a modern kitchen it is worth using clean vessels and a reliable starter. Milk spoils quickly.
Good rūgpienis smells fresh and pleasantly sour. An unpleasant, bitter, or moldy smell is a clear sign not to eat it.
Recipe
How to make rūgpienis
Homemade rūgpienis needs milk and a spoonful of living starter: rūgpienis, sour cream, kefir, or whey. Cleanliness, warmth, and patience matter most.
Ingredients
- 1 l pasteurized milk or boiled and cooled milk
- 2 tbsp live rūgpienis, kefir, sour cream, or whey
- A pinch of salt for serving, if desired
Method
- Warm the milk until pleasantly warm but not hot.
- Stir in the starter, pour into a clean jar or clay vessel, and cover.
- Keep at room temperature until the milk thickens and develops gentle acidity.
- Move the thickened rūgpienis to the refrigerator to slow fermentation.
- Serve with boiled potatoes, porridge, or bread, or use for šaltibarščiai.
Notes
If the smell is unpleasant, bitter, or moldy, do not eat the product.
UHT milk ferments less reliably because it has been heavily heat-treated.
