Paczki - Doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm milk (no warmer than 110 degrees)
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 ounces (1 stick) room-temperature butter
• 1 large room-temperature egg
• 3 large room-temperature egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon brandy or rum
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 gallon oil for deep frying
• Granulated sugar (optional)
• Confectioner's sugar (optional)
• Fruit paste for filling (optional)

Preparation:

1. Add yeast to warm milk, stir to dissolve and set aside. In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs, brandy and salt until well-incorporated.
   
   
2. Still using the paddle attachment, add 4 1/2 cups flour alternately with the milk-yeast mixture and beat for 5 or more minutes by machine and longer by hand until smooth. My grandmother used to beat the dough with a wooden spoon until it blistered. Dough will be very slack. If too soft, add remaining 1/2 cup flour, but no more.
   
   
3. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, anywhere from 1 to 2 1/2 hours. Punch down and let rise again.
   
   
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Pat or roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut rounds with 3-inch biscuit cutter. Remove scraps, and re-roll and re-cut. Cover and let rounds rise until doubled in bulk, 30 minutes or longer.  
5. Heat oil to 350 degrees in large skillet or Dutch oven. Place pączki top-side down (the dry side) in the oil a few at a time and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Flip them over and fry another 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure the oil doesn't get too hot so the exterior doesn't brown before the interior is done. Test a cool one to make sure it's cooked through. Adjust cooking time and oil heat accordingly.
   
   
6. Drain pączki on paper towels or brown paper bags, and roll in granulated sugar while still warm. Note: You can poke a hole in the side of the pączki and, using a pastry bag, squeeze in a dollop of the filling of choice. Then dust filled pączki with granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar or glaze.
   
   
7. Pączki don't keep well, so gobble them up the same day you make them or freeze.

Polish Poppyseed Roll (Makowiec)

Polish Poppyseed Roll (Makowiec)

 

Polish poppyseed roll, or Makowiec, is an impressive dessert that's sure to wow guests.

Ingredients for a Polish Poppyseed Roll, or Makowiec

For the dough you will need:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm milk
• 8 cups all purpose flour
• ¾ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 eggs
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 cans prepared poppyseed filling

How to Make the Dough for a Poppyseed Roll, or Makowiec

Dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of warm milk. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt until well blended. In a separate bowl beat the eggs. Add the yeast mixture, remaining milk and the butter and stir well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until you have formed a sticky dough.
Grease a large bowl, then add the dough to this bowl. Sprinkle the dough with a small amount of flour, cover with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour or until it has doubled in size.

How to Form the Poppyseed Roll

Punch the dough down, and divide it in half. Turn the first half onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Cover the dough with half the poppyseed filling, then roll the dough up like a jelly roll with the seam side facing down. Turn the ends under, and place the roll on a lined baking sheet. Repeat these steps with the other roll. Allow the rolls to rise for 1 hour, or until they are doubled in size.

Baking the Poppyseed Roll

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the rolls with melted butter, then bake them on the baking sheet for 45 to 60 minutes. The rolls are done when they are a warm golden brown.

Vegetarian Polish Stuffed Cabbage - Gołąbki

 

Polish stuffed cabbage is often made with a filling of beef and pork, but it is easily made into a delicious vegetarian dish by replacing the meat in your favorite recipe with sauteed mushrooms.

Ingredients for Vegetarian Polish Cabbage Rolls 

For vegetarian Polish cabbage rolls you will need:

• 1 head of cabbage
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 ½ lbs of your favorite mushrooms, rinsed and chopped
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 ½ cups cooked rice
• 1 cup tomato juice
• Sour cream to garnish (optional) 

How to Prepare the Cabbage Leaves to be Rolled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Remove the stem of the cabbage, and drop the cabbage in the pot of boiling water to loosen the leaves. As the leaves are able to be removed, take them from the pot and allow to cool. Gather approximately 18 cabbage leaves, then remove the rest of the cabbage from the pot. Remove the majority of the stems of each cabbage leaf, being careful not to cut completely through the leaves. Chop the rest of the cabbage, and place in the bottom of a large casserole dish.

How to Make the Vegetarian Filling

To begin the filling, place ½ cup of olive oil in a large pot. Heat the oil on the stove over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute until they are translucent. Add the mushrooms, butter, and salt and pepper. Cook the mushrooms for about 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Stir the mushroom mixture into the rice.

How to Fill the Cabbage Rolls

Place the first cabbage leaf with the concave side up. Put a heaping ½ cup of the filling at the bottom of the leaf, then roll the leaf up to cover the filling. Fold each side of the cabbage in, encasing the filling. Flip the roll over to complete the first roll. Finish making rolls until the filling is used up. Place the cabbage rolls on top of the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish, and pour the tomato juice on top.

Baking the Cabbage Rolls

Cover the dish and bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the cabbage is softened. Garnish the cabbage rolls with tomato juice from the bottom of the dish, sour cream, or mix sour cream with the tomato juice to drizzle on top. Cabbage rolls can be served warm or cold.

Polish Beet Barszcz 

Barszcz (borscht)  is a Polish, hearty beet based soup that's delicious as a pre-meal appetizer with rye bread.

Ingredients for Polish Beet Barszcz

For Polish beet barszcz you will need:

• 4 fresh beets or 2 cups canned sliced beets
• 4 cups meat or vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh or dried dill for garnish 

Recipe for Making Polish Beet Barszcz

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the beets in cold water, scrubbing them if needed. Wrap the beets individually in aluminum foil, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The beets are done when they become tender. Allow the beets to cool enough that you can work with them.
Peel the beets and cut them into strips, or use the julienne style of cutting. To julienne the beets, Cut the round edges off of the first beet, so you are left with a rectangular cube. Cut the beet lengthwise into slices 1/16 of an inch thick. Stack the slices back together into the cube shape, then cut the slices lengthwise into strips 1/16 of an inch thick.
Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot, then add the beets, garlic, sugar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Boil the barszcz for 10 minutes. You can serve the barszcz cold with a dollop of sour cream and dill for garnish, or you can serve it hot with boiled potato cubes placed in the soup.
 

Polish Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut

Polish Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut

Smoked sausage and sauerkraut is a classic, hearty Polish meal, and it isn't hard to make.  This recipe can be eaten right away after cooking, but it is best when refrigerated overnight and reheated in a slow cooker.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of bacon
• 2 lbs sauerkraut
• 2 lbs smoked Polish sausage
• 2 granny smith apples
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup apple juice 

Prepare Sauerkraut and Bacon

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a large baking dish. Dice the bacon in 1/2 inch pieces before you cook it. It is easier to cut when it is raw because you can leave the pieces together in a brick while cutting. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings to add to the dish for extra flavor. For a more intense bacon flavor, you can double the amount of drippings. Place these in the dish. Rinse the sauerkraut and drain, then add this to the dish.

Possible Flavors for Polish Smoked Sausage

Chop the sausage into 1-inch pieces. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and slice them into 1/2 inch pieces. Add the apples and the remaining ingredients to the dish. You can cook the dish now, or you can season to taste with any number or flavorings including butter, caraway seed, celery seed, bay leaves, fresh parsley, salt and pepper, onion, garlic, dry sherry, beef broth, or even beer.

Complete the Polish Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Stir the dish, and add more apple juice if the sauerkraut is too dry. Put it back in the oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Allow the dish to cool. Place the dish in the refrigerator overnight. At least 1 hour before you are ready to serve, place the dish in a slow cooker set to low. The dish is ready to serve when the food is heated through.

Polish Kluski Slaskie

Silesian Potato Dumplings Recipe - Polish Kluski Slaskie or Galuszki

Made with cooked potatoes, Silesian dumplings are unlike any others of its type. They're gummy in texture and you'd swear they could bounce, but that's the way they're supposed to be. Kluski slaskie are typically served as a side dish with the drippings of a roast goose or pork roast, or as the main course with caramelized onions or bacon bits.

Makes about 2 dozen Kluski Slaskie

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds peeled potatoes, cooked in salted water
• 2 large beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups potato flour, more or less

Preparation:

1. Mash, rice or grind thoroughly drained potatoes. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with eggs and salt. Add as much of the 1 1/2 cups flour (or more) as necessary to make a roll-able dough.
   
   
2. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll between the palms to the size of a golf ball or to a 2-inch oblong. When you have 12 dumplings formed, drop them into the boiling water. When dumplings rise to the surface, boil an additional 5 minutes. Test to see if dumpling is done. Remove with slotted spoon to a colander. Repeat with remaining dumpling dough.
   
   
3. Serve with the drippings of roasted meat or poultry, or serve with carmelized onion or fried bacon bits and drippings.