Lithuania (5/2/11)
|
Recipes contributed by Bonnie Gudat.
When in doubt, add more sour cream! Apparently it's cooked in and served with pretty much every Lithuanian dish, at least in the recipes featured below. Adam and Bonnie Gudat graciously conveyed their knowledge and culinary skills, and shared with us the adventures of grating potatoes, creating very pink soup, and "knitting" together tasty piragates (perfect for a "quick meal" -- if you're taking them pre-made out of the freezer). So enjoy, and don't forget the sour cream! Click here to download these recipes. |
Kugelis (potato pudding)
Ingredients:
10 large potatoes, peeled and grated with all juices
1 onion, finely chopped
½ lb. bacon fried with onion, grease included
1 small can evaporated milk
3 eggs, beaten
½ stick butter
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Grate the potatoes quickly because they will turn brown when exposed to air. The shape of grater, blender, or food processor affects the texture of the final product.
While grating potatoes, fry bacon and onion. Add butter to melt, and stir into potato mixture with eggs and milk. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan, and bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° for 45 minutes. Test for doneness like a cake. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean. This is served hot, with sour cream, or when left over, sliced and fried with eggs with more sour cream.
10 large potatoes, peeled and grated with all juices
1 onion, finely chopped
½ lb. bacon fried with onion, grease included
1 small can evaporated milk
3 eggs, beaten
½ stick butter
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Grate the potatoes quickly because they will turn brown when exposed to air. The shape of grater, blender, or food processor affects the texture of the final product.
While grating potatoes, fry bacon and onion. Add butter to melt, and stir into potato mixture with eggs and milk. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan, and bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° for 45 minutes. Test for doneness like a cake. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean. This is served hot, with sour cream, or when left over, sliced and fried with eggs with more sour cream.
Salti Barsciai (Cold beet, cucumber, buttermilk soup)
Ingredients:
One 15 oz. can of shoestring beets, or 3 big beets cooked,
peeled and grated
1 ½ cups grated cucumber
3 cups buttermilk
½ cup sour cream or light sour cream
2 sliced green onions, or to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
dash of salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Drain beets, reserving juice. Combine ingredients, adding beet juice to taste for color and sweetness. This cold soup is often garnished with sliced radishes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or a fresh dill sprig.
One 15 oz. can of shoestring beets, or 3 big beets cooked,
peeled and grated
1 ½ cups grated cucumber
3 cups buttermilk
½ cup sour cream or light sour cream
2 sliced green onions, or to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
dash of salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Drain beets, reserving juice. Combine ingredients, adding beet juice to taste for color and sweetness. This cold soup is often garnished with sliced radishes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or a fresh dill sprig.
Piragates (Lithuanian meat-filled dumplings)
Meat filling:
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup chopped onion sautéed in oil
2 eggs
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. chicken soup bases
Mix with hands until well blended. Form into small balls to fill piragates.
Dough
1 1/3 cup flour
2 eggs
1 T water
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oil
Combine dough ingredients. Knead as for bread for about 10 minutes. Let it stand for about 1 hour, then roll and stretch the dough, sprinkling it with flour. Place meatballs one at a time on dough, fold it over, and cut into a half circle. With fingers, knit the edges to seal in the meat.
To store for later, lay separately on a cookie sheet and freeze, putting them into a bag once hard.
To cook, simmer gently in water for about 10 minutes. If frozen, put directly from the bag into boiling water, do not thaw first, or they may all stick together.
To serve, place hot cooked piragates on a plate and garnish with sour cream and chopped bacon fried with onions. Chilled leftovers can be sliced and fried with scrambled egg, and also served with sour cream for breakfast.
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup chopped onion sautéed in oil
2 eggs
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. chicken soup bases
Mix with hands until well blended. Form into small balls to fill piragates.
Dough
1 1/3 cup flour
2 eggs
1 T water
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oil
Combine dough ingredients. Knead as for bread for about 10 minutes. Let it stand for about 1 hour, then roll and stretch the dough, sprinkling it with flour. Place meatballs one at a time on dough, fold it over, and cut into a half circle. With fingers, knit the edges to seal in the meat.
To store for later, lay separately on a cookie sheet and freeze, putting them into a bag once hard.
To cook, simmer gently in water for about 10 minutes. If frozen, put directly from the bag into boiling water, do not thaw first, or they may all stick together.
To serve, place hot cooked piragates on a plate and garnish with sour cream and chopped bacon fried with onions. Chilled leftovers can be sliced and fried with scrambled egg, and also served with sour cream for breakfast.
Chruschuki (Lithuanian fried bow ties)
Ingredients:
5 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
¼ lb. butter
½ cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 Tbsp. rum flavoring
5 cups flour, and more to roll out
powdered sugar
Method:
Mix well, adding the flour gradually. Roll the dough thin, and cut in rectangles. Slit the center of each, and pull one end through. Fry until golden in 375° oil. Serve dusted with powdered sugar.
5 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
¼ lb. butter
½ cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 Tbsp. rum flavoring
5 cups flour, and more to roll out
powdered sugar
Method:
Mix well, adding the flour gradually. Roll the dough thin, and cut in rectangles. Slit the center of each, and pull one end through. Fry until golden in 375° oil. Serve dusted with powdered sugar.