Traditional Czech-Republic Christmas Eve Dinner

A traditional Christmas Eve dinner in the Czech-Republic is comprised of the fruits and vegetables grown at home. Because of this, the menu varies in different regions of the country. There are a variety of soups that can be served including a sauerkraut soup with mushrooms poured over mashed potatoes and brown onions, a simple mushroom soup or a lima bean and prune soup can be served. Along with a variety of breads, dried fruits, fish, nuts, and pastries round out a traditional Czech-Republic Christmas Eve dinner. Here are a few of the recipes that will help you prepare your traditional Czech-Republic Christmas Eve dinner.

Mushroom Soup

1 pound fresh mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon flour

Sauerkraut juice (to taste)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

1 teaspoon finely chopped onions

Instructions:

1. Wash the mushrooms and cook in 1 quart of warm water until tender.

2. Strain the mushrooms andsave the water.

3. Chop the mushrooms in a food processor.

4. Add the sauerkraut juice to the mushroom water.

5. Add salt and pepper to the juice mix and bring it to a boil in a large pot.

6. Brown the flour in butter until light brown.

7. Add the onion and cook with the browned flour until brown.

8. Add ¼ cup of water and bring this to a boil while stirring.

9. Strain the onions.

10. Add the browned onions and mushrooms to the sauerkraut juice and mushroom water and simmer for a few minutes.

Pagach

1 cup scalded milk

1 cake yeast

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm water

1.5 pounds all purpose flour

2 egg yolks slightly beaten

2 teaspoons salt

1. Dissolve the yeast in half cup of warm water.

2. Pour one half cup of scalded milk over the butter and sugar. Cool this to lukewarm and add the dissolved yeast.

3. Sift the flour and salt into bowl, add the eggs and yeast mixture with the remaining milk and water and knead. After kneading, cover the dough with a cloth and set it to the side in a warm place to rise to doubled (about two hours).

4. Turn the raised dough out on a floured surface and divide it into three portions.

5. Cover each portion with a bowl and let it rest for ten minutes.

6. Take one piece at a time and, turn it over and flatten it in the center with the back of your hand. Place the filling in the center and draw up and pinch edges together.

7. Place a bowl back over dough for 10 minutes.

8. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and then turn the dough over (with the filling inside) and press it carefully with the back of your hand to even it out. Roll the dough out slowly so as not to allow the filling to break through. Roll it into a circle of about 12 inches in diameter.

9. Using both hands to lift the pagach, place the pagach on the bottom rack of the oven and cook for ten minutes.

10. After 10 minutes turn it over and place it on the center rack in the oven and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes.

11. When fully cooked, remove it from the oven and wrap it in a damp towel and let it stand for 10 minutes.

12. Brush lightly with sweet cream and then golden brown butter on both sizes.

13. Sprinkle with sugar, cut and serve.

Pagach Filling

Sauerkraut

½ pound sauerkraut

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Salt and cinnamon

1. Wash the sauerkraut in a half cup of water and squeeze it dry.

2. Finely chop the sauerkraut.

3. Saute the sauerkraut in browned butter, salt, and cinnamon until it is browned.

4. Cool to the filling to lukewarm before adding to dough

Potato

1 large potato

1 teaspoon melted browned butter

Salt to taste

1. Boil the potato until it is soft.

2. Mash the potato and add melted brown butter and salt to taste.

Cheese

½ cup dry cottage cheese

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon butter

Salt to taste

1. Combine all of the ingredients and mix them by hand thoroughly.

Bobalky

1 cake yeast

1 cup scalded milk

6 cups flour

1 small can evaporated milk

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 beaten egg yolks

¾ tablespoon salt

1 ½ cups of poppy seeds

1 cup sugar

3 cups of milk

1. Pinch off portion of dough and roll it out on a floured surface to make a ½ inch diameter roll.

2. Place the roll on a cookie sheet and using a butter knife cut it into small pieces and allow it to rise for 10 minutes.

3. Bake at it at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

4. When cool, break the pieces and place them in a colander.

5. Pour boiling water over the bobalky.

6. Cook 1 ½ cups of poppy seeds in ¾ cup of water for 10 minutes.

7. Boil 3 cups of milk and add 1 cup of sugar.

8. Pour the sugar and milk over the poppy seeds and add to the bobalky. Mix well.

Rozky

There are a number of variations on the ingredients and fillings for Rozky but here is one of my favorites.

1 ½ pounds of flour

1 pound butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 large can evaporated milk

5 egg yolks

Poppyseed, prune butter, fruit or other desired filling

1. Mix ingredients until well blended and the dough doesn't stick to your hands.

2. Set aside in a cool place for 1 hour.

3. Roll out dough on floured surface and cut into 2 inch squares.

4. Fill the dough squares with filling, roll and turn into crescents.

5. Brush the top with milk or beaten eggs.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Ham Bone Pea Soup

1 ham bone

¾ pound split peas

1 stalk celery

1 sprig parsley

2 onions

2 ½ quarts of water

1 cup of milk

1 tablespoon of flour

1 tablespoon of butter

1. Cover the ham bone with water and add the peas, celery and parsley.

2. Simmer until peas are soft enough to put through a sieve (the peas can be left whole or put through a sieve).

3. Fry the onion in butter to lightly brown it and then add this to the soup and simmer the soup for 30 minutes.

4. Melt a tablespoon of butter, add the flour and brown. Add cold water to this and make a smooth sauce. Add this to the soup.

5. Add a cup of milk and cook 5 minutes or until the soup ingredients are will mixed.

Pirohy

1 cup of flour

1 egg

¼ teaspoon of salt

4 tablespoons of cold water

Brown melted butter to serve poured over the pirohy

1. Mix all ingredients with enough water to make a medium soft dough.

2. Knead the dough well then roll to a thickness of approximately 1/8 inch

3. Cut the dough into 2 ½ inch squares.

4. In each dough square, place 1 teaspoon of filling, fold the dough to make a triangle and pinch the edges well to keep the filling in.

5. Drop each pirohy in boiling salted water. When the pirohy rises to the top of the water, cook for an additional 5 minutes. Cool with water and then place on a surface to dry slightly before serving hot with melted browned butter.

Pirohy Filling

Potato

1 large potato

1 teaspoon melted browned butter

Salt to taste

1. Boil the potato until it is soft.

2. Mash the potato and add melted brown butter and salt to taste.

Cheese

½ cup dry cottage cheese

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon butter

Salt to taste

1. Combine all of the ingredients and mix them by hand thoroughly.

Enjoy the rich and delicious flavors of a traditional Czech-Republic Christmas Eve dinner or try a few of these recipes any time of the year. Don't forget to break and share the Oplatky (Christmas wafers) served with honey before the dinner and pare these dishes with fish, beans, peas, sauerkraut, nut and poppyseed rolls as well as mixed nuts, assorted fresh fruits and coffee. Good luck with the recipes and happy cooking.