Nalesniki

I spent 6 months in Poland in 1998. My host mother was a great cook but I really stretched her expertise. I was a vegetarian at the time and I don’t think she had ever met someone that didn’t eat meat! Some of the more interesting things she made for me: noodles with strawberry sauce, a head of boiled cauliflower with sautéed bread crumbs, and nalesniki. Nalesniki, pronounced na-la-shniki, are basically Polish crepes. Ela would make stacks of these each morning and my host family would eat them all day, as snacks, smeared with Nutella, jam, or fresh fruit and yogurt, and with each meal. Sometimes the nalesniki would become the centerpiece of the meal, stuffed with meat (for everybody else), mushrooms, or potatoes. And for dessert with sweet cheese and fruit – think blintzes.

So try your hand at these thin tricky pancakes. Hint: the pan needs to be moderately hot before you put the first batter in the pan. Then the nalesniki cook quickly, just a minute or so per side. Don’t get frustrated if the first couple don’t turn out. It takes some practice.

Nalesniki

1 c flour
1 c milk
½ lukewarm water
4 large eggs
4 T melted butter
Pinch salt
(3 T sugar for sweet nalesniki)

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Let rest for at least 15 minutes. Using a ¼ cup measure, ladle batter into a non-stick skillet coated with butter. Swirl pan and batter until it covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until lightly brown. Turn and cook second side until light brown. Continue with the rest of the batter, buttering the pan between each addition of batter.

Savory Stuffed Nalesniki

One of the easiest ways to make savory stuffed nalesniki is to roast some meat with cabbage, mushrooms, onions and potatoes. Then use the leftovers for the stuffed nalesniki.

1 ½ lbs leftover minced roast beef, veal or lamb seasoned with marjoram and basil
OR 1 lb shredded cooked green cabbage and 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
OR 1 ½ lb sautéed wild mushrooms and 1 large beaten egg
OR 1 ½ lb boiled smashed potatoes and grated cheese (gouda is good)
2 c minced onion (leftover from roast or sautéed in butter)
1 t salt
Black pepper
Additional marjoram and basil to taste
1/3 c dry bread crumbs
1 -2 T sour cream (optional)
2+ T beef stock as needed

Mix together the meat (or cabbage and eggs or mushrooms and egg, or potatoes and cheese), onion, salt, pepper, herbs, bread crumbs and sour cream if using. Add enough stock until the filling holds together. Place ¼ c of filling on each nalesniki. Fold into little packages. Place in a buttered baking dish. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Sweet Stuffed Nalesniki

2 c ricotta cheese
3 oz cream cheese or soft tofu
1 large egg yolk
2 T melted butter
Pinch salt
3 T honey or to taste
1 t vanilla or other flavoring like lemon zest
Mix all the ingredients together. Place ¼ c of filling on each nalesniki and fold into little packages. Place in a buttered baking dish. Preheat oven 375°. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Smacznego! (Smach-nay-go) aka Bon Appétit!