Polish the most common easter dishes

1. EASTEREASTER
TRADITIONAL DISHESTRADITIONAL DISHES
Przedszkole Samorzadowe w ZPO w Woli Filipowskiej
The publication created on behalf of project Erasmus+ „My Culture, Your Culture, Our Culture”Easter

2. Traditional Dishes
Żurek
In its way, żurek—pronounced “zhurek”—is the most humble of all Polish soups, and at the
same time the most exotic, at least to the foreign palate. It has traditionally been eaten at Easter,
but now is found on menus all year-round. Though distantly related to the bread and garlic soups of
Spain and Italy, its base is not meat or vegetable broth, but zakwas. Zakwas is made from rye bread
and water and is, in turn, distantly related both to sourdough and to Russian kvass (a fermented
drink). In Poland, zakwas is available in bottles at ordinary supermarkets. Outside of Poland, you
can find it in specialty ethnic markets, and even online. If you do have to make it yourself, although
it sounds odd and intimidating, it is in fact extremely easy. But it does require planning a few days
in advance.
Żurek can be thin and delicate or hearty, stuffed with chunks of ham, sausage, and potatoes—in
which case it is really an entire meal. The Easter version always contains biała kielbasa, or “spicy
white sausage,” which is the same thing as bratwurst. Sometimes żurek, like its Italian cousin,
zuppa di pan cotto, is served with hard-boiled egg. But it is always sour, salty, and creamy at the
same time, which makes it unlike almost anything else.
Ingredients:
For the zakwas:
•1/2 cup/115 g rye flour
•1 or 2 crusts from rye bread (about 1 cup/225 g total)
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•2 cups/480 ml warm water
For the soup:
•2 large onions, peeled, one halved and one coarsely chopped
•1 large carrot, trimmed and peeled
•1 large parsnip, trimmed and peeled
•1/2 celery root, peeled
•6 cups/1.4 L water

3. •2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
•1/4 lb/115 g bacon (3 to 4 strips), chopped
•2 1/4 lb/1 kg white sausage, cut into chunks
•1 bay leaf
•3 allspice berries
•1 tbsp dried marjoram
•6 black peppercorns
•1/4 cup/55 g grated white horseradish (jarred is fine)
•1/2 cup/120 ml light cream
•Crusty brown bread for serving (optional)
Instructions:
To make the zakwas:
Place all of the ingredients in a large storage jar (a 1-qt/960-ml size will do) with a hermetically
sealing top (such as you would use for preserving fruit). Leave the jar in a warm place—on a
windowsill or in a cupboard—for 4 to 5 days. Open the jar, remove any mold or green bits that
might have accumulated on top, and strain. The remaining sour, fermented liquid is the zakwas. You
will have about 2 cups/480 ml for the soup. Set aside.
To make the soup:
Place the sliced onion halves, carrot, parsnip, and celery root in a large saucepan with the water.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes or so. Strain the broth and
discard the vegetables.
Meanwhile, in a soup pot, fry together the chopped onion, garlic, bacon, and sausage over medium-
high heat until all are lightly browned. Add the strained vegetable broth, the bay leaf, allspice,
marjoram, peppercorns, and horseradish. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook at a low boil
for 20 minutes. Stir in the reserved zakwas and the cream. Raise the heat, and bring to a boil again.
Remove the bay leaf and serve, preferably with crusty brown bread on the side.

4. Mazurek
Ingredients:
For the cake:
•225g Plain white flour
•125g Butter (unsalted) (cut into cubes)
•3 tbsp Double cream
•1 Egg(s) (free range) (large, Beaten)
For the layers:
•1Egg white(s) (free range) (large)
•166g Icing sugar
•33 Cocoa powder
•83g Almonds (ground)
•83g Raisins
•3 tbsp Peanut butter (smooth)
For the topping:
•100g Milk chocolate
•100g Hazelnuts (Chopped)
•100g Almonds (Flaked)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°c, gas mark 6) and grease and line an 8 inch circular cake tin.
Mix together all of the cake ingredients then press firmly into the bottom of your cake tin.
Bake for 10-20 minutes until it starts to turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (160°, gas mark 4).
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the icing sugar until stiff.
Sieve in the cocoa powder, add the ground almonds and raisins and gently fold in.
Spoon the mixture on to the base and spread level. Bake for 20 minutes or until the mixture is set
then cool the tin completely.
Beat the peanut butter to soften it before spreading over the cake. Chill for 30 minutes, or until the
peanut butter has firmed.
To decorate sprinkle the chopped nuts over the cake and melt the chocolate to drizzle as a finishing
touch.

5. Sałatka jarzynowa
Ingredients:
2 large potatoes
4 medium carrots
2 medium parsley roots
1 small celery root
4 eggs
2 small apples (sour)
3 or 4 medium pickled cucumbers
1 can of sweet peas
1/2 cup of mayonnaises
2 tbs of mustard
salt and pepper
Instructions:
Wash your vegetables and apples.
Boil (skin on potatoes) carrots, parsley and celery root for about half an hour until tender but not
yet soft. Drain and let it cool.
Boil eggs until hard boiled.
Peal the skin off all the vegetables, apples, and pickles and take the shell of the eggs.
Cut everything into small cubes and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
Add sweet peas and toss everything together. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to taste
and mix well until everything is well combined.
Transfer into a serving bowl, decorate and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.