a taste of Poland: babka ziemniaczana

Babka ziemniaczana is a traditional Polish dish, although also known in Lithuania (and possibly in Ukraine?). A close relative of Jewish Kugel, it is simply a potato cake. Definitely a taste that brings back childhood memories to me ;) my grandma makes the best one, no matter how hard I try to beat her.

You'll  need:
1kg of potatoes
200g of bacon or sausage (or both)
1-2 onions
1 clove of garlic (optional)
1 egg
around 2 spoons of flour
salt & pepper

1. Chop the onions and fry them. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the onions, fry for a few more seconds. Transfer the contents into a bowl.

2. Cut the bacon/sausage into small cubes and fry on the same pan. Transfer the contents into the bowl.

3. Peel the potatoes and grate them using a fine grater or a robot (it won't work on a cheese grate). Transfer into the bowl with the onions and bacon/sausage.

4. Add one egg, salt & pepper, two spoons of flour and stir.

5. Oil a baking pan and then transfer the mixture from the bowl into the baking pan.

6. Bake in an oven set to around 160 degrees for around an hour (the exact time will depend on the thickness of your babka ziemniaczana, you can use a wooden stick to check if it's ready just like in the case of other cakes). If you want the crust to be extra crunchy, add a bit of sour cream on top.

7. It can be served straight from the oven or, even better, cut into slices and reheated on a pan. I served mine on a bed made of a light salad with French vinegret.

Bon appétit!

A taste of Mexico: guacamole

Time for a taste of Mexico :) According to Wikipedia, guacamole dates all the way back to the Aztec times. Guacamole sauce can be served as a dip to go with nachos, a condiment to be served with tortillas, fajitas or quesadillas or simply as a salad. Today, I served it with fresh white bread (pictured) - if served this way I think it might be a refreshing light lunch idea.

The basic ingredient of guacamole are avocados, also known as alligator pears. They are usually sold not in a ripe state, so you'll probably need to leave them in a warm place for a few days before using. Once they become soft when squeezed, they are ready to use (don't worry if the skin turned brown before softening, it's normal for some varieties).

As for other ingredients of guacamole, they vary - things that you won't see in the version I propose today include garlic, coriander leaves and yoghurt.

You'll need: 
1 avocado
1 medium onion
1 tomato
juice from 1/2 lime (or lemon)
mild chili poder
salt

1. Remove the flesh of the avocado, put in a bowl and squeeze to a pulp with a fork.
2. Add salt and lime juice. Salt serves to bring out the taste of avocados, so it's an absolute must when dealing with them. Thanks to lime juice your avocado won't brown and will stay beautifully green.
3. Cut the tomato into small cubes and chop the onion. Add both to the bowl with the avocado mix.
4. Add some chili powder and stir.
5. Leave aside for at least a few minutes for the flavours to mix, et voila!

Bon appétit!

PS. Although avocados are generally healthy for people (I say generally because some people can have allergic reactions to them), don't serve them to your pets as they are toxic for them!

Fettucine with pumpkin

For those not afraid to try sth different ;) a veggie friendly idea for lunch/dinner.

You'll need:
fettuccine pasta
100g of pumpkin
1 red onion
100ml of cream
some freshly grated parmesan (or other hard cheese)
parsley
nutmeg
salt & pepper
oil or butter for frying

1. Slice the onion and fry it.
2. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into 2-3cm cubes. Add to the frying pan with the onion and allow to cook slowly under cover until soft (so for around 10-15 min). The secret of this recipe rests with slow frying of the pumpkin - this way it will give out all its sweetness.
3. Add cream and half of the parmesan cheese. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper for taste.
4. Chop the parsley and add it at the end, so that it doesn't lose its beautiful green colour.
5. Serve with pasta.
6. Add a sprinkle of parmesan on top, et voila!

Bon appétit!

*Recipe taken from kwestiasmaku.com, modified.