The New Polish Cuisine by Chef Michael J. Baruch

Ingredients
5 cups all purpose flour
One 16 oz. container sour cream, full fat
2 TB olive oil
3 whole large eggs
2 tsp sea salt

To mix the dough in a food processor, place the eggs, salt, and oil in the work bowl fitted with a metal blade. Run the machine continuously for 1 minute. Remove the cover, and add the sour cream and exactly 4 1/2 cups flour. Recover and run the machine until a soft but sticky ball forms inside the bowl. Using the extra flour, pour exactly 1 TB of flour onto a work surface. Carefully using a plastic spatula, remove all of the dough from the bowl and place it on top of the floured surface. Now place on top of the dough 1 more tablespoon of the reserved flour and gently knead it into the dough until it is all absorbed. Repeat the process again using 2 more tablespoons of the reserved flour. The dough should be soft and piable - if not, work in 1 more TB of flour. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, and very gently, using your knuckles, push the dough into 2 six by six squares. Now flip each square over, and using a soft pastry brush, remove any excess flour from the dough. Now place each square into it’s own Ziploc bag, put on a small sheet pan, and refrigerate overnight. Reserve the excess flour for rolling out the dough.

Makes about 40 pieces.

The New Polish Cuisine by Chef Michael J. Baruch

Ingredients
2 cups dry mashed potatoes, chilled (do not add any milk or chicken stock when mashing the potatoes, just plain cooked mashed potatoes)
3 cups all purpose flour
3 whole large eggs
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup cool water

Place the mashed potatoes into a large mixing bowl, then sprinkle on the salt. Beat the eggs in another bowl until frothy, then add to the potatoes. Using a heavy wooden spoon, thoroughly combine the egg and potato mix until very smooth. Add 1/4 cup of water to the potato mixture and stir to combine. Place a medium sized fine mesh strainer over the potato bowl, and working with a 2 cup measuring scoop, add exactly 1 cup of the flour to the strainer, and then sift onto the potatoes. Again using a heavy spoon, thoroughly incorporate the flour into the potatoes until smooth. Repeat again with another quarter cup of water, then another cup of sifted flour until smooth. Now sift the remaining flour onto the potatoes, and combine until you form a smooth dough. If more water is needed, add it tablespoon by tablespoon. Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, not sticky. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 to 3 hours before using.

Makes about 40 pieces.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
2 cups dried prunes
1 TB lemon juice
1 TB brown sugar

Cover prunes with water. Bring just to boiling. Cover. Remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes. Remove and discard pits. Add lemon juice and sugar. Cook until almost all liquid is gone.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
2 cups pitted cherries, apples or blueberries
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon or cardamom (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
2 to 4 TB fine dry bread crumbs

Combine fruit, water, and sugar in saucepan. Bring to boiling, cook and stir until fruit is tender and water is almost gone. Remove from heat. Mash fruit slightly with potato masher. Add cinnamon and lemon juice. Cook and stir over low heat just until fruit mixture is thick. Stir in enough bread crumbs to make filling very thick.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups pot cheese, farmers cheese, or ricotta
1 egg, beaten
3 TB sugar
1/4 cup raisins or currants
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Press cheese through a sieve into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.

Makes about 1 3/4 cups.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup pot cheese or farmer cheese
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp salt

Press cheese through a sieve into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups sauerkraut
Boiling water
2 TB fat
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 hard cooked egg, chopped
2 TB dairy sour cream

Rinse sauerkraut and drain. Put into a saucepan. Cover with a small amount of boiling water. Cook 20 minutes, drain. Heat fat in a skillet. Add onion and fry until golden. Add mushrooms and fry 3 minutes. Stir in sauerkraut, salt, and pepper. Fry until the sauerkraut becomes golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chopped egg and sour cream, mix well.

Makes about 2 cups.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 TB butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 cups mashed potatoes

Saute onion in butter for 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Combine potatoes and onion mixture. Blend well.

Makes about 2 cups.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 TB butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped sauerkraut
2 TB dairy sour cream

Stir-fry onion in butter in a saucepan 3 minutes. Rinse and drain sauerkraut. Add to onion and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Ingredients
1 small head cabbage (about 1 pound) shredded
1/3 cup water
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces
2 TB butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Combine the cabbage, water, onion, mushrooms, and butter in a large saucepan. Cook, covered, over low heat until tender, about 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and chopped eggs, mix well.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.