Prażuchy - Roasted Dumplings
When I woke up this morning, I had an intense craving for a taste that would transport me back in time. Little did I know that this dish, although not gluten free, would captivate my taste buds and evoke memories of childhood summers spent in the countryside. Despite not intending to share it on my blog, the deliciousness compelled me to capture its essence through words and images. After sharing a snapshot of the prepared prażuchy with my dear friend Agnieszka, a resident of Rabka Zaryte in Southern Poland, she couldn't help but express her love for it, reminiscing about our shared culinary adventures from years gone by. Rabka Zaryte, my birthplace, is a charming town that has recently welcomed numerous Ukrainian families, adding to its already rich tapestry of culture, where traditions blend harmoniously with new influences to create a vibrant culinary landscape.
Today prażuchy are rather forgotten in the daily diet, but this original dish was a daily meal for the residents of Rabka Zaryte over 100 years ago or more.
What are prażuchy? These are roasted dumplings made of whole grain flour and water. The wholesome grain is never processed and the germ and bran have not been removed. It is packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Definitely a superfood. The base of the dish is coarsely ground flour - barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye - which needs to be roasted for a long time on a slow fire, in a dry frying pan, until it starts to smell pleasantly. Then, salted boiling water is added to the flour until the consistency of a thick porridge is obtained, from which, after solidification, dumplings can be formed.
As a part of my childhood memories while growing in Poland, this simple dish was my father’s comfort food that he sometimes made for himself and shared with me. This rural dish was often served on the tables of the inhabitants of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in Southern Poland. The families here were very poor, so a lot of modest dishes were prepared. Where did the idea for dumplings come from? Well, the residents of Zaryte had small farms, mostly scattered on the hills, where the soil was of poor quality. Apart from potatoes, mainly rye, barley and wheat were cultivated, because the cultivation of grain was easier in this area. The crops were small and had to be sufficient to feed a large family until the next harvest. Flour for prażuchy was ground on millstones, which is why these dumplings had pieces of coarsely ground wholesome grain. Prażuchy were more often made than baked breads, because it was much easier and quicker process to feed large families.
Prażuchy - Roasted Dumplings Recipe
Zosia Culinary Adventures | Date: Mar 13
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Yield: 12 people
Ingredients:
500 g Whole grain from Arva flour Mill flour (whole wheat, spelt, rye, barley, buckwheat)
1 liter filtered water
100 g Butter
1 tablespoon of salt
kefir or buttermilk/plain yogurt
Equipment: Manual Grain Mill is very handy if you wish to grind your own grain seeds
Instructions:
1. To begin, carefully pour the flour into a dry, heavy pot, ensuring an even layer. Next, set the pot over low heat and begin cooking, maintaining a gentle stirring motion. Patiently continue this process for approximately 40 minutes or until the flour undergoes a beautiful transformation into a rich, golden hue.
2. When roasting flour for Prażuchy, it's important to achieve a well-roasted texture without allowing it to burn, as burnt flour can result in a bitter taste. An alternative method involves roasting the flour in the oven, spread thinly on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. While this approach reduces the time required by 50%, it's essential to exercise caution to prevent the flour from burning during the process.
3. In another pot, bring water to a boil and add a pinch of salt for flavor. Once the flour is beautifully golden, slowly pour in the salted boiling water, ensuring to mix vigorously with a wooden spoon to prevent any lumps from forming. The dough should attain a light, fluffy, and porridge-like consistency, and if necessary, incorporate more hot water to achieve the desired texture.
4. Transfer to a clay pot or a cast iron casserole dish. Cover and place in the preheated oven at 180°C or 350°F for 15 minutes.
5.Melt butter in a pan until brown (beurre noisette). Use a large spoon dipped in butter to scoop dumplings onto a plate. Drizzle melted butter over the dumplings (prazuchy). Optionally, top with bacon bits and sautéed onion before serving.
6. Serve it hot with cold buttermilk, kefir or plain yogurt.
Note: Perfect dish when you are camping out in the wildness!
FOR THE HEALTH OF IT!
Hand Crank Grain Mill: Grinds wheat, rice, oats, barley, quinoa and other small, hard dry grains. The best purchase I’ve made!
