Shangi, or shanezhki, is a traditional northern Russian yeast pastry, which is a round open pies. Outwardly, they look like cheesecake, only savory. Rarely, shanezhki are baked unleavened, without yeast in the dough.
The Urals, Siberia, the Komi Republic are the birthplace of shaneg in Russia, but by origin this pastry is Finno-Ugric. Until now, in the northern Russian regions, shangi are almost an everyday dish.
Chemical composition
Since shangs were “born” in the north, they are high in fat. Indeed, in cold climates, a lot of calories and nutrients are required to ensure normal thermoregulation of the body.
The nutritional and energy value of baking depends on the type of flour. Wheat flour shaneg dough has a calorie content of about 270 kcal, of which carbohydrates account for about 74% (42,0 g), fats – 16% (9,2 g) and proteins – 10% (6,0 g).
Shangi contain a lot of flour, that is, proteins and carbohydrates. The dough recipe, of course, adjusts its contents. So, for example, if the dough is made from wheat flour, it will have a lot of easily digestible carbohydrates (starches) and gluten (gluten). If the dough contains only rye flour, then it will be rich in vitamins and minerals, but at the same time it will have high acidity. The mixture of wheat and rye flour contains the most balanced composition of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Shang contains a lot of fat. They are predominantly of animal origin, since shangi are kneaded on them, poured over them during baking and served on the table, poured with melted fats.
The dough of this baking contains vitamins (groups B, A, PP, E) and minerals (potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, selenium), the amount and proportion of which depends on the type of flour.
Useful Properties
Shangi is a good dish to satisfy hunger quickly and for a long time. This is especially necessary for men engaged in heavy physical labor and the population of the northern regions, where, according to nutritional standards, up to 40% of the calorie content of the diet should be fats.
Animal fats of this pastry are biologically inactive, but they are an energy material for maintaining vitality and a constant temperature of the human body. In moderation, saturated fats are beneficial because they contain cholesterol, which is involved in the synthesis of steroid hormones (corticosteroids and sex hormones).
Animal fats are sources of fat-soluble vitamins A (retinol) and D (calciferol). These vitamins without the presence of animal fats are poorly absorbed, so saturated fats in small amounts should be present in the diet of every person, especially those who consume them intensively (children, pregnant and lactating women, athletes).
Chaneg proteins are highly digestible due to their high bioavailability. This is due to yeast – a source of B vitamins, the presence of which is important for the absorption of protein molecules in the intestine and their use in the synthesis of tissue proteins.
Shanezhka proteins are involved in many processes in the human body:
- are part of the cell walls (glycosaminoglycans);
- stimulate hematopoietic function (hemoglobin);
- support the buffer function of the blood (albumins);
- strengthen immunity (gamma globulins);
- are part of the structure of hormones (insulin, tropins and statins, oxytocin, parathyroid hormone);
- increase skin elasticity and firmness (collagen, elastin);
- provide blood clotting (protein factors of the coagulation system);
- store genetic information in chromosomes and inside cells (DNA, RNA);
- perform a contractile function in muscles (myosin, actin).
Rye flour shaneg dough is rich in the essential amino acid lysine, which is not produced by the human body on its own. This amino acid is involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism, reducing the concentration of the latter in the blood. Lysine promotes the synthesis of collagen, thereby accelerating the healing of wounds on the skin. In addition, it has been found that this amino acid exhibits an antiviral effect, especially effective against the herpes virus.
The composition of shaneg includes vitamins of group B, which are contained in flour, and are also actively produced by yeast during the fermentation of dough and dough proofing. B vitamins improve digestion, restore intestinal microflora, and together with fiber contribute to the normalization of stool, which is especially important for constipation. Vitamins of group B are also useful for the central nervous system: they contribute to the activation of brain activity, fight depression and stress, and improve memory.
Flour, especially rye flour, contains many minerals. Potassium supports the conduction of impulses through the nervous system. Calcium is essential for strong bones and normal muscle contractions. Phosphorus together with calcium regulates the calcium content in bones and tissues, improves brain activity.
Possible harm
If shangi are made from wheat flour or a mixture of wheat and rye flour, then they contain gluten (gluten), which should not be consumed by people suffering from celiac disease (gluten disease).
Shanezhki is a rather fatty product, so it is not recommended for people suffering from obesity and diabetes. The high content of cholesterol and triglycerides in the finished dish makes shangi a harmful product for people with cardiovascular diseases.
A large amount of proteins in flour baking leads to the accumulation of purine bases in people with gout, so they should not eat shanezhki.
The acidity of rye shanezhek is higher than that of wheat, so their consumption is not recommended for people with inflammatory or erosive diseases of the stomach and intestines (gastritis, enterocolitis, peptic ulcer). Shangi made from rye flour are less digestible than similar pastries made from wheat flour. In order not to overload the stomach with food that is difficult to digest, you should alternate baking from rye and wheat flour or use a wheat-rye mixture for baking.
Cooking application
Dough for shangi is prepared from rye, wheat flour or mixtures thereof on animal fat (butter, beef, pork, mutton). Shangi come in different sizes: from 10-12 cm to 30 cm in diameter and more.
Shangi is prepared with or without filling. The filling is simply laid out on the surface of the shanezhki, without recesses or special rolling. As a filling, potatoes, mushrooms, pea, millet or buckwheat porridge, cottage cheese, an egg are most often used, sprinkled with oatmeal. Shangi without filling is served with sour cream or melted butter. Today, these flour products are most often baked by Ural and Siberian housewives; they are not so popular in the rest of Russia. To learn how to bake delicious and satisfying shangi, you can use an old Ural recipe.
Shangi Ural
To cook shangi with or without any filling, you need to prepare:
- 800 g flour;
- 400 ml of milk;
- 200 g of oil;
- 100 grams of sugar;
- 6 egg yolks;
- 100 g of fresh yeast;
- 0,5 tsp. salt.
Sift flour. 3 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp. dissolve sugar in warm milk (no more than 40 ° C), add yeast. Put the dough in a warm place to ferment. While the dough is rising, you need to prepare other ingredients: melt the butter, add the yolks whipped with sugar. Combine the butter-yolk-sugar mixture with the risen dough, add flour. Knead the dough until it stops sticking to your hands. Put the dough on shangi in a warm place for 1,5-2 hours. In this case, you need to knead the dough twice. At the end of proofing, knead the dough again, form balls, roll them into a circle shape with a diameter of 10-12 cm, let stand for several minutes.
Spread the finished filling (any) with the back of a tablespoon on the surface of the shangi, brush with egg yolk. Lay out the shangu on greased parchment. Bake at 180-200°C for 20-30 minutes (depending on thickness). Check the readiness of the dough with a skewer. After baking, shangi should be covered with a paper towel for half an hour so that their surface remains soft.
Ural shangi is traditionally prepared from tough dough, which requires rolling and molding products. There are also recipes from more liquid dough, which is not rolled out, but poured into a mold. These are the so-called bulk shangs, which Arkhangelsk and Pomorie are famous for.
It is customary to eat shangi with milk, curdled milk, tea, cabbage soup, soups, broths. If they are cooked without filling, they must be poured over with fat (melted butter, other animal fat) and sprinkled with oatmeal or served with sour cream.
Conclusions
Shangi is a pastry that came to us from the Urals, Pomerania and other northern regions of Russia. These are delicious, nutritious and healthy bakery products made from yeast dough. They have a round shape and resemble in appearance unsweetened cheesecakes of various sizes (from 10 to 30 cm). In the process of preparing the dough, baking and serving, fat of animal origin is necessarily used.
Shanezhki can be made from wheat, rye flour or a mixture of both. The beneficial properties of this baking depend on the composition of the flour. The more wheat flour it contains, the more complete its protein. Rye flour shaneg saturates the body with vitamins and lysine. Due to the use of a fairly large amount of animal fat in cooking, this pastry is high in calories and fat. Saturated animal fats are good for northerners as they are a good source of energy to maintain a constant body temperature in cold climates.
In addition to benefits, shanezhki can also be harmful. The gluten contained in wheat flour is contraindicated for people with celiac disease. Shang’s high protein content makes this pastry unhealthy for gout sufferers. It is not recommended to use shangi for obesity and diabetes, as they have a high calorie content and fat content. With caution, it is necessary to use fatty shangs for people with cardiovascular diseases or inflammatory pathology of the digestive system.
There are many recipes for this Ural pastry. It is prepared without filling and with it: with potatoes, with mushrooms, with cottage cheese, with sour cream, with various cereals, with peas. Shangi before serving is usually poured with melted fat (butter, lamb, beef) and sprinkled with oatmeal. They eat them with milk, curdled milk, tea, cabbage soup.