These stuffed dumplings derived their name from the Polish word for filled dumpling: pieróg. This former peasant food evolved into one of Poland's favorite dishes. Every family has their own version of pierogi filling, and the ingredients that can be used are limited only by the imagination of the chef. Pierogi can be sweet, savory, or spicy, and the most common fillings include cheese, onions, ground meat, mushrooms, potatoes, and sauerkraut. The sweet versions commonly include various berries, such as strawberries or blueberries. Traditionally, these dumplings are served as the 12th course of a traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner. As the entire meal must be meatless, the filling usually consists of mushrooms, cabbage, and sauerkraut. Although pierogi have been made since the 13th century, it is not known where they were originally created—the Poles, Romanians, Russians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, and Slovaks all claim they should be credited as the inventors of the pierogi. Others claim that it was brought to the West by the Tatars, and some say that the original pierogi traveled from China and reached Europe through Italy. Despite all this uncertainty, one fact is indisputable—the word pierogi first appeared in print in the second half of the 17th century. Today, pierogi are extremely popular throughout the country, and can be found in numerous pierogarnia eateries on Polish street corners. Poland also celebrates National Pierogi Day every year on October 8th, while the city of Kraków boasts its own annual Pierogi Festival held on August 17th.
Sernik is a cheesecake from Poland, stemming from old Christian and Jewish traditions. It is made with eggs, sugar, and twaróg - a type of curd cheese that has been used in desserts for hundreds of years. It is believed that sernik originated in the 17th century, when King Jan III Sobieski brought the recipe with him after his victory against the Turks at the Battle of Vienna. Today, there are many varieties of sernik, some baked, some unbaked, but it is usually made on a layer of crumbly cake. Often times raisins, chocolate sauce, or fruits are also added to sernik, and one of the most popular varieties of the dessert has a sponge cake as its base and is covered with jelly and fruit on top. The krakowski version of sernik has a lattice crust on top to differentiate it from other types of this cheesecake. Sernik can either be prepared at home or found in many Polish stores and supermarkets.
Rogal świętomarciński, also known as St. Martin's croissant or St. Martin's roll, is a filled croissant in a coating of icing with chopped nuts sprinkled over it. It gets its name from the traditional baking and eating of the rolls on Saint Martin's Day for 150 years up to this day in the city of Poznań and some districts in the Wielkopolskie Voivodship in Poland. According to a traditional tale, the croissants date back to the days of the 1683 siege of Vienna when king Jan Sobieski and Poland's hussars defeated the Turks in a battle and bakers started to make the croissants to keep the victory in public memory, while the Turkish crescent contributed to the shape of the final product. On the exterior, the rolls are dark golden to light brown while the dough is cream-colored, and the filling is beige. The filling consists of poppy seeds, sugar, raisins, nuts and almond flavoring. The flavors and aromas are sweet with hints of almond and poppy seeds. All these elements combined together make this flaky pastry a unique and original product that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Comforting rosół is a traditional meat soup. Even though the chicken version, called rosół z kury, is the most famous variety–beef, veal, turkey, or mixed meat broths are also quite frequently prepared throughout the country. Pork should never be used since it results in an opaque broth. Rosół is usually made with meat that is left on the bone, which contributes to the overall taste. The meat is cooked in cold water with a variety of vegetables such as carrots, celery, and mushrooms. It is typically lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, and bay leaves. When the dish is cooked, chopped parsley and thin noodles are added to the dish. Polish tradition suggests that the meat should be left out, but it is sometimes separately chopped and added to the soup. Rosół is regarded as a Polish national dish, equally praised as a starter served in traditional restaurants and also as a hearty and soothing home classic, usually cooked and served on the weekends.
The dough for these famous Polish potato meat dumplings is made with mashed or grated raw potatoes – or occasionally a combination of both – mixed with flour, salt, and eggs in order to create a pliable and soft batter for the dish. Even though they can be eaten plain, pyzy are usually made with a delectable stuffing hidden inside the dough. The most common choice of filling is minced meat, usually a mix of pork and beef, which is frequently enriched with onions, sautéed mushrooms, or traditional Polish cottage cheese. The stuffing is placed inside the dough, and the package is then rolled into a small round ball and boiled. The finished pyzy are soft and delicate, and their mild doughy exterior perfectly complements the rich, meaty filling. They are occasionally shallow-fried, giving them a thin and crunchy outer layer. Pyzy are most commonly served with a topping of sautéed onions, pieces of fried bacon, meat dripping, and salty pork cracklings. This hearty and nourishing winter treat is usually served as a main course. In Poznán, the pyzy are made with yeast dough and can be stuffed or plain. The dumplings are usually served with duck meat and red cabbage.
A classic Poznań specialty, pyry z gzikiem is a simple potato and cheese dish. It consists of boiled or baked potatoes accompanied by a mixture of cottage cheese, cream, and onions. The potatoes are served whole or cut in half, typically in their jackets, with the cottage cheese dip either on top or on the side. Finely chopped chives can be added to the cheese filling or used as a garnish, while the cream can be replaced with milk, kefir, or buttermilk. The gzik mixture is usually flavored with dill and cumin, and it can also be served with crackers or sandwiches. The dish is regarded as a traditional specialty and is eaten in numerous Polish households, usually on Fridays.
The name golonka refers to the pork hock, or pork knuckle, which is usually seared and slowly cooked until tender. Alternatively, it can also be grilled or braised in the oven. The dish comes in many regional varities, which may include fresh or smoked golonka, with the former being a more traditional choice. It is usually served whole, on the bone, alongside boiled potatoes, cabbage, a variety of cooked vegetables, and horseradish or mustard sauce. This traditional dish is often compared to a similar delicacy eaten in Germany, known as Eisbain or Schweinshaxe. Although it is believed that golonka was influenced by this German version, it has become an integral part of Polish cuisine, with many distinctive regional variations such as honey and beer glazed golonka w piwie or the variety from Rudka that is stuffed with mushrooms. Golonka is often served at weddings and other special occasions. It is also a staple in traditional Polish restaurants.
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