Rice with apples seems to be a childhood favorite in Poland. Everyone talks about having it at school or as an after-school snack. The school meals in Poland have a great reputation at least according to my anecdotal evidence.
I know school lunches are a concern around the world, and Poland is probably no exception, but my friend’s children who attended Polish schools, and these may have been private Polish schools, always looked forward to the meals. Two little English-American boys referred to the kitchen staff as the “cooker-ladies.” The cooker-ladies made excellent food. I’m sure Rice with Apples was part of the lineup.
The Polish food blog, Dorata Smaku, refers to this recipe as ryż zapiekany z jabłkami i cynamonem. Meaning that it’s a baked version of this dish, Zapiekana isn’t just the well know baguette pizza-like street food. It also means casserole, something baked.
You can also find recipes for Polish rice with apples that are bez pieczenia, without baking, totally done on the stovetop.
To describe the flavor, I’ll remind you that Polish desserts are light on sugar. The apple flavor is the predominant taste. It’s a little like apple pie, a little like an apple crisp, except, in this case, the accompanying starch is milk enriched rice. It makes a nice combination.
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Give it a try. Generations of Polish moms can’t be wrong!
Smacznego!
Lois
Polish Rice with Apples
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Polish
Description
Baked rice with apples and cinnamon – a childhood favorite in Poland!
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (250ml)
- 1 cup water (250ml)
- 1 cup rice (220g)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 pounds apples (800g), about 5
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, (100g)
- sour cream or greek yogurt to serve on the side (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C).
- Bring the milk and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the rice, 1 tablespoon butter, and a pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar. Cover and set aside.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/4 inch slices. Now slice across the apple slices making 1/4 inch pieces. Toss the diced apples with 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 2 teaspoons sugar.
- Grease a medium casserole dish. Add 1/3 of the rice to the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the apples. Add another layer of rice, top with apples, and the final 1/3 of the rice is the top layer. Pour the heavy cream over the top of the layers and top with 3 tablespoons of thinly sliced butter. Sprinkle lightly with more cinnamon.
- Bale 40 – 45 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of optional sour cream or greek yogurt.
Notes
Make sure your casserole dish is deep enough to capture the apple juices that will be boiling away as this bakes. Mine boiled over, so I lost a lot of the nice apple juice. It also made a mess of my oven. Maybe bake it on top of a foil-lined sheet pan just to be safe.
An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com, she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.
Elizabeth Beaudoin
Oh yum….just what the doctor ordered for winter and we received 2 inches of snow last night. Thanks Lois. Stay safe.
polishhousewife
Elizabeth, it seems like I only hear from you when it’s snowing! LOL I’d like to think that’s because you’re enjoying the great outdoors at other times. <3
Kasia
I don’t know where I ate it for the first time, but I loved it! It is very filling but so very delicious! I think it brings high school memories for me. My mom did not make it – maybe I had it a summer camp or at a friend’s house. I would like to make it, but I am afraid, I would eat all of it :):)
Ann Federici
My Mom made something similar but used egg noodles! How I loved the apple and cinnamon flavor. Thanks for bringing up this tasty memory. Is there a name to the egg noodle dish?
polishhousewife
There are variations on the name, but makaron z jabłkami, or pasta with apples seems to be the consistent part
Maryann S
Made this but thought it was very dry and the apples were too hard for my taste.
Renata
I live in Poland. I make it quite often. I don’t add butter for boiling rice or on top and instead of adding sugar and vanilla I stir in ” kogel mogel” – an egg yolk mixed ( using a teaspoon) with 2 teaspoons of sugar. I cut apples thinner ( but not too thin). I put a layer of rice, then apples, then rice again. On top I put a stiiff foam made of egg white and sugar. I keep it in the oven ( 180 degrees Celcius) for an hour and then leave it for the night there. I prepare it in the evening and eat on the next day. It’s still warm. Too fresh or hot dish is too loose. My family loves it.
Drew Senesac
I just made this dish! Fantastic! Just what I was looking for. Thank you!
Kristine Szpunar
This brings back memories of my Mom making this. So delicious the apples cinnamon rice and sugar. . Im going to have to make it for my grandbabies