Busias Polish Kluski Recipes

KLUSKI EGG NOODLES (POLISH-STYLE PASTA FOR SOUPS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk flour and salt together. Make a well in the center.
• Fill the well with a whole egg and 2 egg yolks.
• Add a tablespoon of fat. I like to add clarified butter for recipes like these, but you can replace it with any other fat (such as canola or olive oil).
• Combine all the ingredients with a fork. As soon a soft ball forms, pull the dough off the fork.
• Start kneading the dough by hand. It takes a while to turn smooth and elastic: depending on the size of the eggs, anywhere between 20 minutes up to an hour (that's an extreme end). It took me around 25-30 minutes, but I watched my favourite show as I was kneading. :-D
• If you prefer to use a stand mixer (with a dough hook), simply hold back a tiny bit of flour and only add it when necessary. If the dough appears too dry, add a spoonful of water. Observe the dough, after 20 minutes it should be well kneaded.
• Form a ball and wrap it in cling film. Place it in the fridge and let it rest for a minimum of an hour (and a maximum of a day).
• Set out a large area to work in. If you have a pasta / pastry board, use it. Dust it with some flour.
• Take the dough out of the fridge and cut it into 3 pieces. Take one piece and cover the rest with the foil (don't let them dry out).
• Place that chosen piece of dough onto the work surface and roll it out. Roll it out as thinly as possible. I use a rolling pin so it takes a few minutes, but if you have a pasta maker - feel free to use it.
• Roll this thin pancake into, well...a roll, and slice this roll into noodles with a very sharp knife. [The width of my kluski noodles was about 0.5 inch (1.25 mm)]. Place the sliced ​​noodles into a bowl and sprinkle them lightly with flour.
• Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
• It's worth picking up the noodles you're already made, and moving them around. That will let noodles dry and will prevent them from sticking.
• Noodles are ready to be cooked. If you prefer to cook them later, here are your options:
• If you're planning to cook them within the next two days, just spread the raw noodles on your work space and let them dry for an hour. Then dust them with a little bit of flour and place them in a container with a lid (a zip food bag works too). Chill in the fridge until you're ready to cook your kluski noodles.
• If you're planning to cook these noodles even later, freeze them instead. Just move them into a freezer-friendly bag, label it with the date and description and place it in the freezer. Consume within 2-3 months.
• Are you hungry now? Great, let's cook kluski noodles straight away. Boil a large pot of water (I use the size of 3 quarts / 3 litres). Add a teaspoon of salt into it, then throw all of the noodles in.
• Stir a little and reduce the heat, so that the water boils gently. Once the noodles start to float (it took 3 minutes in my case), they're cooked. The exact cooking time will depend on how thick your noodles are and how wide the cut was. It's best to test them empirically, by having a bite. If a noodle is pleasantly soft (yet still firm) - that's the time to drain them all in a colander.
• Serve these kluski noodles in a soup of your choice (e.g. Rosół, Pomidorowa) or treat it just like a regular pasta - add some sauce, cheese, herbs and spices.

BUSIA'S POLISH KLUSKI

Steps:

• Mix all of the above ingredients together,except bacon, adding just enough flour to make a doughy consistency.
• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water.
• Smear potato mixture on a small saucer and flick about one inch pieces into the boiling water.
• Start with just a few pieces - if they break apart, you need to add more flour to the mixture. If they stay together in the boiling water, cook until they float to the top, then cook another 3-4 minutes.
• Drain well and put into a casserole.
• Cook bacon pieces in a small frying pan until crisp, then dump grease and bacon over the top of the kluski - toss to coat.
• Serve warm with pork and applesauce.

KLUSKI

Steps:

• Get a large kettle of salt water boiling.
• Peel the potatoes and then grate them in a large bowl. Use the "pokey" side of your hand grater so it creates a potato mash. Don't worry when the top of the potato mash turns a brownish color -- that's what happens when the potatoes are exposed to air.
• Add egg and salt to the mash and mix. Salt is approximately 1 teaspoon -- not an exact measurement.
• Start adding flour. I use a sifter to evenly add over the top of the mash. Mix in and add more. Continue doing this until the mix is too thick to stir, then start using your hands. Continue adding flour until it is like a thick dough.
• Pat out on cutting board approximately 3/4" to 1" thick and cut into approxiamtely 1 1/2" wide strips.
• Start frying bacon in a large pan.
• Put several strips on a plate and set edge of plate on edge of kettle. With a butter knife, cut/break/slide a dumpling size chunk into the boiling salt water. Tap knife on edge of kettle to get it to fall off knife. If dough continues to stick to knife, just dip the knife in the water on occasion. Repeat until done. This goes much faster is you can get someone to help you with a second plate.
• Cook dumplings approximately 35-45 minutes. Stir frequently to keep dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Water WILL get thick and starchy when nearly finished cooking. This is where you have to keep an eye in them because it's easy to burn at this point.
• Finish cooking bacon until crisp.
• Remove dumplings from heat and drain using a large slotted spoon/scoop and place a layer in a large bowl. Add a layer of bacon. Add another layer of dumplings and another layer of bacon. Drizzle a little bacon grease over several layers for added flavor. Repeat until all dumplings and bacon are used.
• Serve hot. Sprinkle a little salt on top and add butter if you wish.
• Enjoy!

EASY POLISH NOODLES

Steps:

• Combine chicken broth, water, and chicken base in a 6-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Add kluski noodles, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is completely absorbed, 30 to 40 minutes.