Pasta, Dumplings and Halusky

Cabbage Halusky (Strapačky)

Ingredients: halusky (Slovak potato dumplings), sauerkraut, caraway seeds Prep Time: At least an hour for the kraut to get soft Last weekend the EU embassies here in Washington, D.C. held an open house. Each embassy had some free goodies symbolizing that respective country. Germans had bratwurst, Belgians beer and chocolate, Poles kielbasa. The Slovak embassy cooked up strapačky and served them with cold Slovak Golden Pheasant (zlatý bažant) beer. If you attended this even, and want to try making this simple, yet very traditional dish at home, well you are in luck. Here is (my) recipe for strapačky. About the Read the Rest…

Bryndza Pierogi (Bryndzové Pirohy)

Ingredients: about 2 potatoes, some 2 cups flour, one egg, salt, bacon, bryndza Prep Time: 30 minutes Pirohy (pierogi) are not as common in Slovakia as in, let’s say Poland. There they are stuffed with all kinds of fillings. There are pierogi filled with meat, mashed potatoes, curd cheese, onions, or even sweet jams. But one kind you will surely find on your travels in Slovakia are bryndzové pirohy, pierogi filled with the special Slovak sheep cheese, bryndza. This cheese is also used to make the Slovak national dish, bryndzové halušky. My family did not use to make pirohy. But Read the Rest…

Poppy Seed Noodles (Rezance s Makom)

Ingredients: noodles (fettuccine width), ground poppy seeds, sugar, butter Prep Time: 30 minutes I grew up eating poppy seed noodles (rezance s makom). These are quite similar to šúlance s makom (poppy seed dough rolls, from šúlať, to roll). Those are frequently eaten on Christmas. See, in Slovak heritage, poppies are a sign of wealth. It’s customary to wish someone to have peňazí ako maku, money like poppies. This is why we eat so many dishes topped with poppy seeds. Start by cooking noodles (rezance). Home-made noodles work the best, but if you don’t feel like all the trouble, just Read the Rest…

Home-Made Noodles (Domáce Rezance)

Ingredients: 1lb of all-purpose flour, 1 egg, dash of salt, water Prep Time: 30 minutes My grandma makes the best ever chicken noodle soup. I think her secret is in that she makes her own noodles. In this recipe, I show you how you too can make your own pasta. Turns out, it’s quite easy! Make the Dough Start by combing flour (múka), salt (soľ) and the egg (vajce). Add about a small cup’s worth of water (voda). It’s better to start with less water and add more as needed. Knead well in the container and also on a floured Read the Rest…

Potato Dumplings (Halušky)

Ingredients: 750g potatoes (about 2 large ones), 2 cups flour, salt Prep time: 25 minutes Halušky are what really defines Slovak cuisine. The name is typically translated to English as potato dumplings, but this is not quite right. Halušky are just that, halušky (pronounced halushky). Potato dumplings, in Slovak, are zemiakové knedľe. Halušky are somewhat similar to German spätzle. You can top them with just about anything. Few years back, my dad had a restaurant near Banská Bystrica’s town square where he served mostly halušky. I don’t remember exactly how many varieties were on the menu, but it must have Read the Rest…