Welcome to my beloved recipe for Polish Krokiety! If you’re a fan of rich flavors and hearty warmth, you’re in for a treat. This traditional Polish dish, typically prepared for Christmas, features a delectable combination of mushrooms and sauerkraut. So, let’s dive into the recipe and enjoy the culinary delights of Polish cuisine!
Preparing the Krokiety
The preparation of Krokiety is a multi-step process that spans over two days. We start by making the pancakes and simmering the sauerkraut in the evening. On the next day, we complete the filling (Farsz), wrap it in the pancakes, and coat them in breadcrumbs. The Krokiety are then stored in the refrigerator until they are pan-fried fresh as needed over the next few days.
Serving Suggestions
The fried Krokiety are traditionally served with Polish Beetroot Soup, creating a delightful harmony of flavors. The sweet and sour notes of the soup beautifully complement the crunchy and savory Krokiety. Trust me, it’s an utterly delicious combination that will warm your soul on a cold winter day!
Mushroom and Sauerkraut Filling
For Christmas, we prefer using wild mushrooms that we picked and dried in the autumn. However, you can also use white mushrooms if you prefer. The sauerkraut, a product of the summer harvest, adds a tangy and flavorful element to the filling. This dish truly embraces the natural cycle of food preservation and celebrates the winter solstice.
Meat Filling Alternatives
If you’re not a fan of mushrooms or sauerkraut, don’t worry! There’s another popular variation of Krokiety made with slow-cooked, pulled meat. You can choose pork, turkey, or beef and cook it in a slow cooker along with carrots and onions. Once the meat is tender and falls apart easily, shred it and mix it with breadcrumbs and an egg to bind the mixture together. It’s a delicious alternative that is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
Other Traditional Polish Winter Dishes
If you’re craving more Polish winter delicacies, here are a few other dishes worth trying:
- Barszcz Czerwony – Polish Beetroot Soup
- Bigos Hultajski in Slow Cooker
- Bigos Królewski
- Placki Ziemniaczane – Polish Potato Pancakes
- Łazanki – Polish Pasta
- Racuchy – Polish Apple Pancakes
Polish Krokiety Recipe Card
Enough talk, let me share the recipe with you:
Ingredients:
- For Pancakes:
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour (300g) Plain Flour
- 1.7 cups Milk (400ml)
- 0.8 cups Water (200ml)
- 2 Eggs
- 1 pinch Salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
- For the Filling:
- 10.6 oz White mushrooms (300g)
- 3.5 oz Dried wild mushrooms (100g) Porcini and Boletus
- 1.7 lbs Sauerkraut with liquid (800g)
- 3 Onions, medium-size – diced
- 3 Bay leaves
- 5 All Spice Berries
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Vegeta seasoning – you can use salt instead
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- For the Coating:
- 2 Eggs
- 2 cups Breadcrumbs (200g)
Instructions:
- Cooking Sauerkraut: Place sauerkraut with the juice in a pot and add enough water to cover it. Include bay leaves and allspice berries. Simmer on low heat until softened, approximately 3-4 hours. Add more liquid as necessary to keep the sauerkraut submerged.
- Preparing Mushrooms: Place dried wild mushrooms in a glass jug or a small pot. Pour boiling water over them to cover. After 15 minutes, when they are soft, remove and chop them. Reserve the mushroom water for later use, being careful to avoid any sand at the bottom.
- Frying Onions and Mushrooms: In a frying pan over medium heat, fry onions until they soften but do not brown, about 5 minutes. Then add sliced white mushrooms, increase the heat, and cook until the mushrooms start to brown. Season with Vegeta and black pepper to taste, then remove from the stove.
- Making Pancakes: Blend all pancake ingredients until a smooth batter forms. Cook pancakes on a medium-sized non-stick frying pan. Pour a small amount of batter into the hot, oiled pan and spread it around by swirling. Once the pancake is set, remove it and place it on a plate. Repeat until all pancakes are made.
- Combining Filling Ingredients: Once the cabbage is cooked, strain it from the liquid and remove the spices. Let it cool enough to handle, then chop finely. Mix with both the rehydrated and fried mushrooms and onions. Season with sugar, black pepper, and salt to taste.
- Assembling Krokiety: Spread about 2 tablespoons of filling inside each pancake. Fold the left and right sides inward, then roll up the pancake.
- Coating Krokiety: Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl. Dip each krokiet in the egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Prepared krokiety can be refrigerated for up to three days before frying if needed.
- Frying Krokiety: Shallow fry the krokiety in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, using enough oil to cook the sides of the krokiet.
