Polish Cuisine – Hungry and Sentimental
Hreczanyki – patties with buckwheat and ground meat – are of Ukrainian origins, still after XX century war migration they came to Poland and now they are a popular dish in a region of Bieszczady. I was looking for a dish that links Poland and Ukraine. In this dramatic time I am donating, I am sending clothing and hygiene stuff to people on Ukrainian border, I helped as a volunteer with organization of help, but this is what I decided to do as a cook.
Egg patties is a simple vegetarian dinner idea, in Poland they are often served for dinner in school canteens and milk bars. They are also loved and cooked in Polish families. Crispy egg patties can be served with cooked potatoes or kasza: buckwheat or barley. They will taste great with carrot and peas with a roux, or with mushroom sauce. Check this easy recipe.
Strawberry Cloud Cake is a popular cake in today’s Poland, you can find recipe on each and every cooking blog. Actually originally this is ‘raspberry cloud’ cake, but I made my cake with strawberry. You can also make blueberry version or cherry one, this is up to your likes and what you have in your freezer. Yes, you can use frozen fruits or seasonal fruits- of course that’s better option.
Strawberry cloud is a delicious cake- buttery shortcrust is covered with strawberry jello with strawberries in it. On top goes vanilla cream and mascarpone finished with crispy meringue. Quite of lot of preparation, but with proper organization you’d be fine. Strawberry cloud cake need refrigerating, you need to make a day before and chill in the fridge overnight. Check my step by step recipe and enjoy this delicious cake.
Parsley and pear soup is a soup that has become very popular last years in Poland. You get it on first communions’ celebrations, family gatherings and special occasions. Sunflower seeds for me are a magic ingredient here, they add crunchiness and flavor. Parsley and pear soup is surprisingly light and delicate.
Another vegetarian version of gołąbki, if you are a lit bit overwhelmed with masses of meat used in Polish cuisine, check this recipe for buckwheat and mushrooms cabbage rolls. The preparation process is just like classic Polish cabbage rolls, so you probably have experience in it, but the outcome can surprise, both meat lovers and vegetarians would be happy to have them. Great for fasting too!
There is quite a lot of work with Potato Stuffed Cabbage Rolls preparation, but the taste is so good, that you need to check it out. The recipe comes from the eastern borderlands, I found information that they were cooked in Lviv, which is a territory of today’s Ukraine. I cannot stop thinking about a situation of Ukraine people’s nightmare, that is going on right now. Let’s pray, so that the war was stopped and Ukrainians could live in a free country.
I try to introduce more vegetarian food in my family’s diet. My husband says nothing would full him but meat, but this baked mushroom and buckwheat stuffed zucchini was different:) So it’s approved by a picky meat lover:)
Pączki (pronounced as: punchkee) are one of the most popular Polish sweet pastries both in Poland and abroad. They are available on a daily basis in each bakery and confectionery in Poland, but there is one day when each Pole needs to eat at least one pączek (singular from: pączki) and it is Fat Thursday. Fat Thursday is a day starting last week before Lent. Looks like Poles need to celebrate ending carnival longer than for example people in USA, as the other celebrate Fat Tuesday, which is a last day before Ash Wednesday:)
Pączki are a sweet buttery yeast pastries, filled with jam and topped with powder sugar or powder sugar icing. The most popular filling is rose petal, but now there is many other available, like prune, strawberry, chocolate and custard. I like my Pączki topped with powder sugar:)
Happy Pączki Day everyone!
My sister Kasia gave me recipe for this delicious and super easy yogurt plum cake. Actually you can use other fruits or berries and it would be just as good. Sour cherries, blueberries, even rhubarb would be great here. It’s perfect with coffee for a lazy Saturday afternoon with a friend or with a sister:)
It’s all in one pot preparation, so you don’t make mess in the kitchen. You can use frozen fruits and have some of Summer in the middle of Winter too. Who is with me? 🙂
Beef Tartare was a very popular appetizer during communistic Poland. It was always served on weddings, first communions, name days and other gatherings. Those days meat was cheap, although not so easy to get. Now meat, specially beef is one of the most expensive here in Poland.
Remember to buy beef from a trustworthy seller, meat needs to be of the best quality and the freshest.
Beef tartare might be a great appetizer on a Valentines dinner, don’t you think that raw meat gives a little bit of wildness? 🙂
Silesian red cabbage is the most popular Silesian side dish. It’s a stew of red cabbage, sometimes itself, sometimes with addition of onion or apples, it all depends on the Silesian family. There is many recipes, try this one below, easy and quick, it will make a perfect set with Silesian Beef Roulade and Kluski Śląskie.
Silesian Beef Roulade is next to Silesian dumplings – kluski śląskie probably the most popular Silesian dishes. They both go together so well too. The third element to get perfect Silesian dinner is modra kapusta– a stew of red cabbage.
In Winter I love eating sauerkraut and I often cook it. I like Fuczki – fritters with sauerkraut, I like Sauerkraut croquettes and I like Spare ribs and sauerkraut. It’s complete dish for the whole family, filling, hearty and comforting. I try to buy lean spare ribs, as they are rather fat in their nature. Sauerkraut is tangy, sour, sauteed caramelized onions give sweetness, can you smell it now? 🙂
In my family house I am the person, who is responsible for making Dried Fruit Christmas Eve Kompot:) It is a healthy drink that is always on our Wigilia table.
It’s made of dried fruits and spices. Actually you can use your favorite dried fruits, but the core are dried apples and pears. You can change ratio of fruits and finally get the flavour that suits you and your family the best.
I also add freshly squeezed orange juice, which might be not so traditional, but makes a difference and helps me to get my favorite taste of Kompot z suszu.
Lately, while looking for some new not so popular Polish Christmas Eve traditions and foods, I came across recipe for Christmas Eve Beans. Next day I found this year’s fresh “Jaś” beans on a farmers market and decided to check it out.
Recipe is really easy, I tried it and I loved it. Let me present it to you.
Polish jellied carp is very popular in Poland, it is traditionally served on Christmas Eve. My sister loves it, so each year she makes it for us. If you are not so much for carp, you can use another fish you like, it will be just as good:)
I love the flavor of Polish Apple Crumble – Szarlotka in my house – buttery, with a bit of cinnamon. My children love it too, so I make it quite often.
As long as it is Autumn, I try to make the best of it, apples are now the freshest and the cheapest in the whole year.
All of the names above have the same meaning, they describe one Polish dish – Jellied Pigs Feet. In my family house we called it Galareta as it actually is and looks like a meat and veggies jelly. You don’t add extra gelatin as bones and skin has plenty of collagen and makes natural jelly. This is why pigs feet cannot be omitted in this recipe, you wouldn’t get broth set without it, you’ll get a soup instead of Jellied Pigs Feet.
In October there is still plenty of fresh and still cheap vegetables available in the market. I got large zucchini from my Mum, all other ingredients I had already at home, so I made easy Vegetable pancakes. Delicious, easy and healthy. Highly recommended! 🙂
I think that Gołąbki – Polish cabbage rolls are one of most popular and most liked Polish dish. Exactly as is in my family home. When my mum asks my children what to cook for our visit, they say: Gołąbki:)
There are many ways to prepare gołąbki, my Mum boils, while many people bake them. Many people cook them in tomato sauce, I prefer to cook gołąbki in a light broth and make a tomato sauce for serving.
