Homemade Zapiekanki / Polish Fast Food?

Homemade Zapiekanki

Welcome to the world of Polish fast food. If you ever visit Poland,

do not be surprised if you see countless corner shops or booths with

bright signs reading "ZAPIEKANKI." Many people can be found eating these

long baguettes covered with melted cheese and ketchup. 

I would like to thank Chelsea

http://ameriaus.blogspot.com/ 

for featuring me on her website.

Check out her blog, she recently started with guest posts. 

Like her FanPage! 

Zapiekanki are absolutely delicious! If you treat each ingredient with respect 

and make use of fresh vegetables and cheese, you will be in for a pleasant surprise!

My family makes Zapiekanki for dinner. Anything homemade tastes delicious, of course.

Zapiekanki are universal, any picky eater can instantly find something that will easily satisfy them. 

The classic zapiekanka has onions, mushrooms, cheese, and chives.

Nowadays, people will put anything they have leftover in their fridge and toast it on bread.

Try it out!

Ingredients-

1. 5 Ciabatta or Baguette Bread
2. 2 Cups of Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese
3. 2 Onions
4. 500g Mushrooms
5. 5 Slices of Ham
6. 2 tbsp. Margarine
7. 2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
8. Salt
9. Pepper
10. Chopped Chives
11. Ketchup (optional)

Instructions-

1. Slice bread into halves. Spread margarine lightly.
2. Finely chop onions and grate mushrooms.
3. Heat skillet and melt margarine with vegetable oil to prevent burning.
4. Add onions and cook until translucent. Flavor slightly with salt and pepper.
5. Add mushrooms and cook until they reduce size and are soft. Add salt and pepper. Stir occasionally.
6. Slice ham into smaller pieces and grate the cheese.
7. Spread mushrooms and onions onto bread. Cover with sliced ham. Sprinkle with cheese.
8. Repeat this step until all bread pieces are covered with mushrooms, onions, ham, and cheese.
9. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Toast in oven until cheese is melted and bread is slightly crispy.
10. Chop chives and add to toasted zapiekanki. Serve with ketchup.

ENJOY :)

Pizza

Pizza with Extra Cheese & Toppings

Homemade Style

 

Hello Everyone!

It has been days since I posted,

 I have been away at my Grandma's house the past week. 

It was a nice break, now back to reality and university life, exams are coming up but I will try to

keep updating with delicious recipes :)  Please be patient :)

Here is my recipe for delicious homemade pizza.

I know that most people don't add egg yolk, but the dough just seems 

to come out better when I add just one. I hope some of you try it out,

it's actually addicting and very fun to make ;)

 

 

Ingredients-  Prep Time ~1.5h  Baking Time ~20mins.

Pizza Dough-

1. 500g White Flour

2. 1 Egg Yolk 

3. 1/2 Cup Warm-Hot Milk (not boiling!)

4. 50g Fresh Yeast 

5. 1 Teaspoon of White Sugar

6. 2 Tablespoons of Oil

7. 1 Teaspoon of Salt

Tomato Sauce-

1. 5 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

2. Pinch of Salt

3. Pinch of Pepper

4. 1 Clove Fresh Garlic

5. 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

6. Pinch of Oregano 

7. Pinch of Basil

8. Pinch of Sugar

9. 2 Tablespoons of Boiled Water

Toppings- (Of course, feel free to substitue with your favorite toppings, this list includes what I used)

1. Grated Mozzarella Cheese (2-3 Handfuls)

2. Cold Cuts (Deli Ham etc. , I usually use Salami)

3. 1 Red Bell Pepper

4. 1 Onion

5. Sweet Canned Corn

6. Oregano 

7. Basil

Instructions- 

1. Place 500g of plain white flour on a table. Add 1 egg yolk onto the flour. Add the salt and oil, as well.

2. Heat 1/2 Cup of milk. (It is easy to boil milk, do not overcook it because the yeast will die.)

3. Crumble 50g of fresh yeast into the cup with warm-hot milk.

4. Mix gently but make sure the yeast has dissolved. 

5. Add the sugar to the cup and mix well. Yeast love sugar, they will grow nicely if you add it.

6. Once everything has been mixed thorougly, pour the yeast mixture onto the flour with the egg yolk.

7. With the help of a man with strong arms (optional), mix the liquid with dry ingredients and form the dough.

8. For about ten minutes, constantly form the dough mixing everything well and adding force to the dough.

9. Once a soft ball has been formed with the help of some strong hands, set the dough aside.

10. Cover the dough with a cloth and set aside for about an hour in a warm place. It must be warm!!!

11. During this time, it is easy to make a tomato sauce pizza base. Chop a clove of garlic and heat in a small pot with olive oil, add five tablespoons of tomato paste. Add two tablespoons of water or more, the sauce has to be thick or the pizza will be too moist. Add salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and sugar to taste. 

12. Set the sauce aside, prepare toppings by chopping one onion and red bell pepper. Cut ham into slices. 

13. Set oven for 200C. 

14. After about an hour the pizza dough should double in size and be very soft and filled with air.

15. Punch the dough and spread on desired baking tray. 

16. Spread tomato sauce onto the dough. Sprinkle some oregano on top.

17. Add the sliced onion and red pepper. 

18. Add the ham, if you are using salami you may place it on top before anything else.

19. Add sweet corn on top, as much as desired.

20. Cover toppings with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle pizza with some oregano/basil.

21. Place in heated oven and bake for about twenty minutes, no more or the pie will be too crispy/tough.

22. Serve with homemade garlic sauce! CLICK -> Homemade Garlic Sauce Recipe

ENJOY :)

Salad for Lunch

Vegetable Salad with Tomato and Mozzarella

 

Ingredients-  Prep Time ~15mins    Serving Size ~4

1. Salad (Mixed salad or your favorite salad, your choice)

2. 1 Medium sized Carrot

3. 1/2 Large Cucumber

4. ~5 Red Radish Heads

5. 1/2 Large Red Bell Peper

6. ~10 Cherry Tomatoes

7. 1/2 Small Can of Sweet Corn

8. Handful of Chives

9. 1/2 of Medium Mozzarella Ball (per person)

10. Few pieces of onion from the chives

11. 2 Pieces of Chives for decoration

12. Olive Oil or dressing of your choice

13. Fresh dill (add to taste)

 

 

 

Instructions -

1. Wash all your vegetables nicely, peel the carrot.

2. Divide salad into smaller pieces and place in large bowl.

3. Grate the carrot and add to salad.

4. Slice radish into thin pieces and add to salad.

5. Take half of a large cucumber and peel and slice into thin pieces. Save the other half ;)

6. Cut the red bell pepper in half. Slice half into nice thin pieces. Save other half.

7. Take a few cherry tomatoes and slice into halves. Add everything to the salad.

8. Add sweet corn.

9. Mix everything well, and add chopped chives at the end. I also added a few onion pieces.

10. Mix well, again. Add favorite dressing, I used Italian. You may just add some olive oil.

11. Serve on plate, cut mozzarella into slices and add on salad in a clockwise format. 

12. Add some cherry tomatoes on top of the mozzarella.

13. Decorate with nice green chives.

 

ENJOY :)

Pasta Night!

Vegetables & Meat Pasta Sauce

 

 

Ingredients-      Prep Time ~1h   Cooking Time ~2.5h

1. 1 Package of your favorite pasta
2. 2 Cans Whole Tomatoes (450g each)
3. 6-7 Fresh Cloves of Garlic

4. 2 Medium Carrots

5. 5-7 Celery Sticks

6. 6-7 small-medium Mushrooms

7. 2 Onions

8. 1 Large Red Onion

9. Sugar

10. Salt and Pepper

11. Oregano

12. Basil 

13. Olive Oil

14. 500g Ground Beef&Pork Mix

15. 0.4L Chicken Stock 

16."Herbes de Provence" Spice Mix

17. 50g Mozzarella Cheese 

Part 1

 Instructions PART 1 -

1. Wash and clean your vegetables. Finely chop onions and celery. Grate carrots and mushrooms. 
2. Preheat large sauce pot and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add the onions and stir quickly. Let the onions cook and sprinkle them with some salt&sugar and they will unleash a very sweet aroma.
3. Cook onions until translucent and add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Mix well.
4. Cover the pot with a lid for about two minutes.
5. After two minutes or so, add about half a liter of chicken stock. Be careful with too much liquid and remember that you may always add water/chicken stock later if the sauce is too thick.
6. Sprinkle the vegetables with some salt and bring to a light boil and cook for about 15 minutes.
7. Add the canned tomatoes. Bring to a light boil and stir occasionally.
8. Add minced garlic to the tomato and vegetable sauce. (I love garlic, I always use many cloves, feel free to use less if garlic is not your favorite)
9. Let the sauce simmer for about 1.5h. 
*Do not boil the sauce, let it slightly bubble once in awhile. Lower the heat to low!
10. Stir occasionally every 10-15 minutes. 

 Part 2

Instructions PART 2 -

1. In the last 20 minutes the sauce is cooking, preheat a skillet and add olive oil.
2. Add the meat and break it by pounding it lightly to create smaller pieces.
3. Cook on high heat for the meat to release its juices. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add spice mix along with oregano.
4. Cook until meat is brown. The meat should still be juicy. Add everything into the sauce.
5. Mix the sauce well and check consistency. Add chicken stock/water if you prefer lighter sauce.
6. Taste and add salt/pepper to taste. Add oregano and spices. 
7. Simmer covered for about another hour.
8. Cook pasta according to package directions. Salt the pasta as well.
9. At the very end, slice some fresh mozzarella to add on top. 
10. Place cooked pasta on plate, add the sauce, and sprinkle some oregano and mozzarella on top!

ENJOY  :)