Witamy!
I had a huge juicy peach for breakfast this morning. She was the size of my fist (it’s a big fist) with a perfect spherical shape, perfect blend of intense orange, yellow and red hues, and so much juice running down my chin and all over my hands. She was born and raised on a near-by farm and came to me courtesy of our local farmers market. She gave her life for 2 minutes of intense pleasure. So noble and so worth it!
But farm-raised peaches aren’t always perfect, and sometimes they don’t get consumed fast enough before the skin wrinkles and the flesh goes too ripe. Here we have a perfect solution: our Polish style Peach Tart! This recipe was intended for our acclaimed heritage cookbook, Polish Classic Desserts, but didn’t make the final cut purely due to space limitations. We love it because it’s easy to make and a healthy way to end any meal or to just enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee during a mid-day break.
Yields 15
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 ¾ cups flour
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons sour cream
8 peaches, small to medium freestones
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 12x15-inch cookie pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. The paper is to help lift the tart from the pan.
Using a standing mixer or food processor, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the 2/3 cup sugar and baking powder and mix. Add the egg and yolk and sour cream, and combine until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough in the prepared pan.
Skin the peaches (see note). Cut lengthwise and remove the pits. Place the peach halves (flat side down) on the dough in even rows about an inch apart. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
Before serving, sprinkle with the ½ cup confectioners’ sugar. Serve with whipped cream. Best served the same day.
Note: to skin peaches easily, cut a small “x” in the bottom of each peach and drop them in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds or so. Immediately transfer from the hot water to a large bowl of ice water for about one minute. Peel the skin off easily by starting at the tips of the “x” you cut earlier. For best results, work with only a few at a time – if you have too many in the hot water, you won’t be able to remove them fast enough and they will start cooking through.
Smacznego!
Really? Sour Milk? Oh yeah, for sure and for real! Keep reading:
One of my favorite childhood food memories was a summer delicacy called Zsiadłe Mleko or in English, Sour Milk. Now before you scroll away or hit the delete key, just hang in there with me because there is nothing spoiled or sour about it and it is a genuine Polish delicacy. I just devoured a bowl of it and it was an absolutely refreshing and tangy summer lunch.
Close your eyes and think slightly thin or loose yogurt…with a similar tang of buttermilk and the texture of a light pudding or flan. Its served with buttered baby potatoes and fresh dill. I promise that it really tastes fantastic and there’s nothing sour about it.
There was a great story told by my Mom, who was active in the Polish resistance, that during World War II, there was a small band of Polish resistance fighters who found themselves in France behind enemy lines. They were lost and exhausted from dodging the enemy. A French farmer took them in and let them hide in his cow barn. That farmer, seeing that they were also famished, apologized and said that all he had was some potatoes in the field, a few left-over sprigs of dill in the garden, and a bucket of soured milk which he was planning to feed to his pigs. The Polish soldiers, hearing this, started laughing hysterically and pounced on the bucket of sour milk. You see, where they grew up in Poland this was a delicacy known as “a dish for kings” -- a bowl of sour milk enjoyed best with a small plate of buttered potatoes and dill. Amazing!
In Poland you can buy it commercially prepared but back in the day, this dish was made at home with unpasteurized milk. But these days there is risk of germs or disease from consuming raw milk, so we strongly suggest that only pasteurized milk be used.
The Recipe: First, the milk has to be “cultured” to become thick and tart. Pour a quart of whole milk into a glass or ceramic bowl (anything but metal). Add ½ cup of sour cream OR 1 cup of cultured buttermilk. Whisk or blend the mixture thoroughly. Place the bowl into a warm spot (80 °F is great) and let it stand for 24 hours or until thick. Do not move or disturb the bowl while the milk is setting up. When it thickens to the consistency of flan or a light pudding, place the bowl into the fridge and cool for half a day or so. To serve, spoon it into serving bowls and serve with young white potatoes that have been sprinkled with butter and fresh chopped dill.
PS: I had a bowl it for lunch – I started it two days ago with a quart of 2% milk and 3 tablespoons of sour cream. The bowl just sat in our kitchen for a day and a half before it set up. A little clear liquid separated in the bowl but I just poured that off. I boiled a few baby white potatoes, sprinkled them with melted butter and dill. My lunch was so refreshing on this hot day and just so delicious that I’ve got another bowl started.
Smacznego!
Witamy!
Classic Polish cuisine embraces a huge variety of delicious, cool & crunchy summer salads that pair really well with just about any entree. We love them especially with meats off the grill, whether your favorite kielbasa (Polish sausage) or burgers ‘n dogs, or just about anything you’ve pulled out for tonight’s dinner. They’re quick and easy to prepare.
And now that all the neighborhood farmers markets are going strong, their ingredients are so fresh and flavorful. Can there be anything better that biting into a juicy tomato or crisp cucumber just picked that morning and prepared for tonight’s dinner?
The second salad takes advantage of cabbage and dill pickles, both staples of classic Polish cuisine. Using a food processor it will take just moments to prepare. Its tang will be sure to delight the whole family. Tip: Imported Polish dill pickles are a bit sweeter than what’s usually found in American grocery stores.
Tomato Cucumber Salad
Serves 6
1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
¼ teaspoon salt, or a bit more to taste
¼ teaspoon sugar, or a bit more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (dried is OK)
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Arrange the tomato and cucumber slices, alternating each, on an oblong serving platter. Sprinkle with the salt, sugar and dill. Top with a sprinkle of green onions and finally sprinkle everything lightly with the vinegar, just to give it all a slight tang. Serve chilled or at room temp.
Cabbage and Dill Pickle Salad
Serves 6
2 cups, shredded cabbage
2 medium dill pickles, coarsely shredded
¼ teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
½ teaspoon sugar (reduce by half if using imported Polish dill pickles)
2 tablespoons pickle juice
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 small tomato, sliced
Mix the cabbage and shredded pickles thoroughly. Season with salt, sugar, pickle juice, and oil. Arrange on a serving dish and garnish with the tomato slices. Serve chilled.
For three more delicious summer salads check out our blog post from 7-14-14.
Smacznego!
