Polish Breads

Chałka or Challah, a braided egg bread

April 27, 2018 by polishhousewife Leave a Comment

Chałka or Challah is the bread used in Sabbath and holiday rituals for Jews in particular the Ashkenazi. They originally formed a community in the Holy Roman Empire (Central Europe) around the end of the first millennium settling along the Rhine River is western German and northern France creating a unique way of life that included traditions from their old home and their new home. Challah was the name given to a German bread when it was adopted as the Sabbath bread.

Chałka or Challah

In the 15th century, most Ashkenazi moved east to the multi-ethnic Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth which gives us the Polish connection and Chałka. Challah is usually topped with poppy or sesame seeds, Chałka, the Polish version can be a little sweeter, using more sugar in the dough itself, and sometimes is even topped with sweet strusel like crumble as PrzyslijPrzepis.pl has done.

The recipe I’ve made over the years and adapted here is from a book my grandmother gave me over 30 years ago, Heritage Cook Book by Better Homes and Gardens. It was published in 1975, but you might find it in a used book store or on Amazon (I earn a small commission of you purchase via this link). It’s interesting reading, as it tells about how American cuisine has change over the years and the influence of the melting pot on what we eat. I’ve used so many of the recipes; it was where I first learned about Polish basics such as stuffed cabbage leaves and bigos!

This makes one large loaf and uses two packets of yeast. I have sometimes two three-packs of yeast and made a triple recipe, making either three large loaves of six to eight small loaves (I put them crosswise on two sheet pans to proof, the final rise, and bake). It’s a nice size to give as gifts. However you make your Chałka or Challah, I think you’ll enjoy the wonderful smell and taste of this homemade bread.

Smacznego!

Lois

Chalka or Challah

Author: Polish Housewife
Prep Time: 150 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf
Category: Bread
Cuisine: Polish

Description

A beautiful braided egg bread

Ingredients

2 packages active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 – 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on your taste)
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
for topping:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon poppyseeds or sesame seeds

Instructions

Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm water (110 F) to soften, stir until dissolved
Heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt until sugar dissolves, cool to lukewarm and stir in 2 cups of flour
Add yeast and 2 eggs, combine, and add enough flour to make a soft dough (anouther cup to 1 1/2 cups)
Knead on a floured surfaces, continuing to add flour for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth
Form into a ball, and place in an oiled bowl, turn the dough over (this oils the top), and cover the bowl, leave in a warm place unti doubled in size about 90 minutes
Punch down the dough, divide into thirds, roll each third into an 18 inch strand, braid, securing the ends by tucking under
Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, cover, let rise, about 30 minutes
Whisk together the egg yolk and water, gently brush the loaf with this egg wash and sprinkle with seeds
Bake at 375 F for 35 – 45 minutes, the bread should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped (mine is a little too brown, it should have come out a few minutes earlier)

Notes

If you want to make the sweetened topping like przyslijprzepis.pl, combine 4 teaspoons butter, with 3 tablespoons of sugar, work in up to 1/2 cup of flour until you have a nice crumble, sprinkle this over the egg wash rather then poppy or sesame seeds

Zapiekanka Polish French Bread Pizza

January 5, 2018 by polishhousewife 12 Comments

If you spend much time at all in Polish cities, you’ll see folks walking around eating long skinny Zapiekanka Polish French Bread Pizza. They always look and smell terrific. Almost two years after my first visit to Poznan, curiosity got the better of me. As I was leaving Sweet Surrender one afternoon, rather than hop on my tram at Most Teatralny, I walked over to another corner of this busy intersection to order my first Zapiekanka.

Zapiekanka dates back to the 1970s, and the small amount of free enterprise allowed by the Communist government, mała gastronomia, travel trailers or food trucks serving simple street food. Zapiekanka’s base is a baguette, cut in half lengthwise. Traditionally, it’s topped with mushrooms, melted cheese and on the very top, a squirt of ketchup.

With food scarcity a thing of the past, Zapiekanka now comes with mind boggling topping choices. I think my first was kebab meat. The ones we made at home recently, had a slice of ham, sauteed mushrooms, cheese, and were topped with ketchup and everyone’s favorite garlic sauce, sos czosnkowy.

I made my own garlic sauce which is so versatile. You’ll find so many ways to use it! Ed pronounced it very Polish tasting and the perfect finishing touch. My prescribed recipe below is very basic, add to it as you choose just be sure to keep the melted cheese and sauces on top. For protein, you might try BBQed meat, cooked bacon, or salami. As you saute the sliced mushrooms, maybe you’d like to toss in some sliced onion or bell pepper.

As for the cheese, make it something that will melt well, cheddar, mozzarella, even Oscypek if you’re lucky enough to have some. To be authentic, add a squirt of ketchup on top of your Zapiekanka as it comes out of the oven, and any other sauce you like, garlic sauce, ranch, or 1000 island dressing. The amounts listed below are really just guidelines, like sandwich, soup, or pizza making, the rules aren’t so strict.

I look forward to hearing what toppings you’ve put together. We thought our homemade Zapiekanka were delicious!

Smacznego!

Lois

PS – this explains why Poles are likely to put ketchup on pizza, even though it already has a red sauce!