Poland (8/1/16)
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Recipes contributed by Mary Ann Crotz.
For Mary Ann, cooking a Polish sausage dinner brings the scents and memories of childhood flooding back. Whether or not you have Polish heritage, the cozy, hearty homeyness evoked by the recipes below is undeniable. Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more Polish recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2013. |
Polish Sausage Dinner
All of the ingredients are to taste – as much or as little as you like. Mary Ann has discovered quality Polish sausage -- both fresh and smoked -- at Pottstown Deli. They make their own, and it is exactly the flavor Mary Ann remembers from childhood. Note: the boiling time listed below is recommended for fresh sausage; smoked sausage doesn't take as long to cook and may be better steamed, so that it doesn't burst open.
Ingredients:
Polish Sausage (fresh smoked is best, but if you have to settle for packaged, that's OK)
Potatoes, quartered
Sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
Caraway Seeds, to sprinkle in pot
Ketchup or Hot Sauce or Chili Sauce or...
Method:
Place sausage in a large pot (like a dutch oven) and cover with water.
Boil 15–20 minutes, or until done.
Remove sausage, keeping it warm. Do not discard water.
Put potatoes in the water and boil them until just fork tender.
Drain most of the water. Add sauerkraut and seeds and gently stir so potatoes do not break apart.
Slice sausage into whatever sizes you like and place in pot.
Stir everything together and chow down, with or without condiments.
Ingredients:
Polish Sausage (fresh smoked is best, but if you have to settle for packaged, that's OK)
Potatoes, quartered
Sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
Caraway Seeds, to sprinkle in pot
Ketchup or Hot Sauce or Chili Sauce or...
Method:
Place sausage in a large pot (like a dutch oven) and cover with water.
Boil 15–20 minutes, or until done.
Remove sausage, keeping it warm. Do not discard water.
Put potatoes in the water and boil them until just fork tender.
Drain most of the water. Add sauerkraut and seeds and gently stir so potatoes do not break apart.
Slice sausage into whatever sizes you like and place in pot.
Stir everything together and chow down, with or without condiments.
Light Rye Bread
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups rye flour
2 ½ cups bread flour or unbleached white flour
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup milk (room temperature)
½ cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 Tbs. olive oil
¾ cup finely chopped onion (opt.)
2 Tbs. whole caraway seeds (opt.)
Method:
If using a mixer, all of the mixing and kneading can be done with the dough hooks.
If mixing by hand, the following directions apply:
In a large bowl measure rye flour and ½ cup bread flour.
Add sugar, salt and yeast. Stir to blend.
Pour in the milk, water and oil.
Draw in the flour to make a thick batter.
Add chopped onion and caraway seeds.
Start adding remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, to make a mass that can be lifted from the bowl.
Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead aggressively with a push-turn-fold rhythm, about 8-10 minutes, adding sprinkles of flour as needed if dough is too sticky.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat, cover with a cloth, and set in a warm place until doubled in volume (approximately 1 ½ hours).
Punch down dough and lift to the floured work surface.
Allow the dough to relax for 5 minutes.
Form into loaf, rolls, or desired shapes.
Cover with cloth and allow dough to double in volume (about 1-1 ½ hours).
Preheat oven to 375*.
Slash top and bake for about 40-45 min. or until a light golden brown crust forms.
Test for doneness by rapping knuckles on loaf. It should sound hollow.
Cool on wire rack.
1 ½ cups rye flour
2 ½ cups bread flour or unbleached white flour
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup milk (room temperature)
½ cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 Tbs. olive oil
¾ cup finely chopped onion (opt.)
2 Tbs. whole caraway seeds (opt.)
Method:
If using a mixer, all of the mixing and kneading can be done with the dough hooks.
If mixing by hand, the following directions apply:
In a large bowl measure rye flour and ½ cup bread flour.
Add sugar, salt and yeast. Stir to blend.
Pour in the milk, water and oil.
Draw in the flour to make a thick batter.
Add chopped onion and caraway seeds.
Start adding remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, to make a mass that can be lifted from the bowl.
Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead aggressively with a push-turn-fold rhythm, about 8-10 minutes, adding sprinkles of flour as needed if dough is too sticky.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat, cover with a cloth, and set in a warm place until doubled in volume (approximately 1 ½ hours).
Punch down dough and lift to the floured work surface.
Allow the dough to relax for 5 minutes.
Form into loaf, rolls, or desired shapes.
Cover with cloth and allow dough to double in volume (about 1-1 ½ hours).
Preheat oven to 375*.
Slash top and bake for about 40-45 min. or until a light golden brown crust forms.
Test for doneness by rapping knuckles on loaf. It should sound hollow.
Cool on wire rack.
Dark Rye Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (100-115*)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
¼ cup molasses
3 ½ cups rye flour
1 egg, whisked
3 Tbs. cocoa powder
1 Tbs. caraway seeds (opt.)
¼ cup butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
2 ½-3 ½ cups bread flour
Method:
If using a mixer, all of the mixing and kneading can be done with the dough hooks.
If mixing by hand, the following directions apply:
Put water in a large bowl.
Add brown sugar and yeast. Stir until dissolved. Let yeast develop for about 5 min.
Add molasses, rye flour, egg, cocoa, and caraway seeds.
Beat well, then let sit for 10 min.
Mix in melted butter and salt.
Gradually mix in 1 cup bread flour.
Stir in enough of remaining bread flour to make soft dough and knead 8-10 min.
Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down dough, turn onto floured work surface, and divide into two pieces.
Gently knead to work out air bubbles.
Form into loaves and place into 2 greased loaf pans or parchment-lined cookie sheet dusted with corn meal.
Cover with damp cloth and allow to rise another hour or until dough is nearly doubled.
Preheat oven to 400*.
Slash tops and bake 25-28 min.
Immediately remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
2 cups warm water (100-115*)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
¼ cup molasses
3 ½ cups rye flour
1 egg, whisked
3 Tbs. cocoa powder
1 Tbs. caraway seeds (opt.)
¼ cup butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
2 ½-3 ½ cups bread flour
Method:
If using a mixer, all of the mixing and kneading can be done with the dough hooks.
If mixing by hand, the following directions apply:
Put water in a large bowl.
Add brown sugar and yeast. Stir until dissolved. Let yeast develop for about 5 min.
Add molasses, rye flour, egg, cocoa, and caraway seeds.
Beat well, then let sit for 10 min.
Mix in melted butter and salt.
Gradually mix in 1 cup bread flour.
Stir in enough of remaining bread flour to make soft dough and knead 8-10 min.
Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down dough, turn onto floured work surface, and divide into two pieces.
Gently knead to work out air bubbles.
Form into loaves and place into 2 greased loaf pans or parchment-lined cookie sheet dusted with corn meal.
Cover with damp cloth and allow to rise another hour or until dough is nearly doubled.
Preheat oven to 400*.
Slash tops and bake 25-28 min.
Immediately remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
Kolacky
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
1 package cream cheese, softened
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
Method:
Mix together and work dough, kneading with hands.
Divide into 2 parts. Make 2 rolls about 1 ½ inches in diameter.
Wrap in wax paper. Leave overnight in refrigerator.
Heat oven to 350*.
Slice chilled rolls (about ½ inch). Roll out and fill in middle with filling of choice (see below for filling recipes).
Fold 4 edges to middle.
Place on greased or parchment-lined pans.
Bake ½ hour or until golden.
Cool on wire racks.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Store in air-tight container 3–4 days. Refrigerate after that.
These freeze well.
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
1 package cream cheese, softened
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
Method:
Mix together and work dough, kneading with hands.
Divide into 2 parts. Make 2 rolls about 1 ½ inches in diameter.
Wrap in wax paper. Leave overnight in refrigerator.
Heat oven to 350*.
Slice chilled rolls (about ½ inch). Roll out and fill in middle with filling of choice (see below for filling recipes).
Fold 4 edges to middle.
Place on greased or parchment-lined pans.
Bake ½ hour or until golden.
Cool on wire racks.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Store in air-tight container 3–4 days. Refrigerate after that.
These freeze well.
Kolacky Fillings
Fillings can be made, or buy fruit preserves. Just be sure fillings are not runny or they will ooze out of the dough. You can make more filling than the following recipes call for and use them as spreads, mix with yogurt, or any other way you would use preserves or jams.
Date-and-Nut Filling
½ lb. packaged dates (cut up)
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
8 marshmallows (cut up)
½ cup nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Bring dates, sugar and water to a boil. Add marshmallows. Cook until smooth. Let cool. Add nuts and vanilla.
Prune Filling
½ lb. packaged prunes (cut up)
Water to add during cooking
Sugar to add during cooking, to taste
Slowly, heat prunes and ¼ cup water, stirring to make sure they don't stick. Keep adding water as needed to get a stiff but not dry consistency. Add sugar, if desired. Cool.
Fruit Filling
1 lb. fruit
½ lemon
¾ cup sugar, to start
Pit or stem fruit.
Cut into pieces, or use food processor.
Cook over a med.-high heat, stirring often so fruit doesn’t burn.
Juice lemon.
Once fruit is boiling, strain lemon juice and add it to the fruit.
Continue boiling until fruit is soft and wilty.
Add sugar and cook over high heat, adding more to taste.
Boil until thick, about 15-20 min., scraping often with spatula to avoid burning.
Cool.
Date-and-Nut Filling
½ lb. packaged dates (cut up)
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
8 marshmallows (cut up)
½ cup nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Bring dates, sugar and water to a boil. Add marshmallows. Cook until smooth. Let cool. Add nuts and vanilla.
Prune Filling
½ lb. packaged prunes (cut up)
Water to add during cooking
Sugar to add during cooking, to taste
Slowly, heat prunes and ¼ cup water, stirring to make sure they don't stick. Keep adding water as needed to get a stiff but not dry consistency. Add sugar, if desired. Cool.
Fruit Filling
1 lb. fruit
½ lemon
¾ cup sugar, to start
Pit or stem fruit.
Cut into pieces, or use food processor.
Cook over a med.-high heat, stirring often so fruit doesn’t burn.
Juice lemon.
Once fruit is boiling, strain lemon juice and add it to the fruit.
Continue boiling until fruit is soft and wilty.
Add sugar and cook over high heat, adding more to taste.
Boil until thick, about 15-20 min., scraping often with spatula to avoid burning.
Cool.