Although potatoes first came to Poland towards the end of the 17th century, it wasn’t until the 19th century that they began to take centre stage in Polish cuisine, particularly as a source of sustenance for poorer folk. As they gained in popularity, cooks began experimenting with new recipes, and today there are many Polish potato dishes deserving of celebration.
King of the Tubers
Potato, the king of tuber-kind, was fittingly brought to Poland by King Jan III Sobieski. It is said he sent his wife, Marysieńka, a sack of potatoes during the siege of Vienna, (not perhaps the most romantic gift for a wife, but nonetheless appreciated), and the gardener of Wilanów Palace grounds, Paweł Wienczarek, planted them. Some years later, his son-in-law, Jan Łuba brought potato growing to Warsaw, where king August Mocny, fell in love with them and insisted on being served fried potatoes as an accompaniment to his daily dinner. Today, potatoes are an irreplaceable ingredient in many celebrated Polish dishes.
Placki Ziemniaczane - Polish Potato Pancakes
Polish potato pancakes are as versatile as they are delicious. They can be served as a starter, a side dish, or as a base with a topping of devilled chicken livers or Polish Gulasz (Goulash) or with a healthy dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped chives. You can even serve them as a dessert with a light dusting of caster sugar. Check out the recipe here.
Zupa Ziemniaczana - Polish Potato Soup
Potato soups are a favourite all over the world, and one of the Polish favourites is Zupa Ziemniaczana. The thing that makes this potato soup so special, apart from the potatoes themselves, is the addition of some good, smoky Polish sausage like Kabanos, Sucha Krakowska, or Zwyczajna, and some smoked bacon and a healthy dollop of sour cream. Whether you serve it at lunch or suppertime, it's a wholesome bowl of deliciousness.
Ziemniaki po Mysliwsku - Polish Potatoes Hunter-Style
The things that put the Polish fried potato dish - Ziemniaki po Mysliwsku - Polish potatoes hunter-style - at the top of the pile is the addition of anchovies and capers. The anchovies and capers bring an amazing sharp saltiness to the dish. The Ziemniaki po Mysliwsku is then garnished with a sprinkling of chopped dill and parsley, making this fried potato dish stand out from the crowd.
Knedle ze śliwkami - Polish Potato Plum Dumplings
It's not just Polish potato pancakes that can be served as a dessert dish, Polish potato plum dumplings are an out-and-out winner for desserts. Plums are halved, pitted, and the cavity is filled with sugar before joining the two halves together and wrapping them in cold mashed potato and flour dough prior to boiling. The sweet tartness of the plum, the slight saltiness of the potato and the flour shell with its gorgeous slight stodginess, browned in butter and rolled in sugar, is absolutely sublime combination.
Polish Potato Poems
Once the Polish love affair with the potato was well underway, it wasn’t long before some Polish bards began to write poems about them. The first was written by Adam Mickiewicz in 1821. It is called "Kartofla" (potato), and it extols the virtues of life in the countryside and, in particular, what happens when a potato leaps off the stove demanding attention. The poem was never finished (the attention-grabbing must have been pretty serious) and it was never published in his lifetime.
Another was written by Julian Tuwim. His poem is called “Kartofle”. Not perhaps Keats or Wordsworth, but an amusing little poem, nonetheless.
"Can you feel it? The pagan years smelling of campfire, Smouldering juniper wood crackling with sparks, Woolly smoke drifting with the wind, And raw potatoes wrinkling from the heat. And never a potato served on the table was as tempting as one with burning scent, charred, Voraciously taken with a clamp-stick. Out of grey, hot flour of the forest ash. Toss it from hand to hand! Blow on it! Watch out! It’s hot! Its braised skin burns you when peeled! Toss it in salt from a piece of paper! Put it in your blowing mouth and devour! Let it melt on your jumping tongue!"
Polish Potato Varieties and their Equivalents
Over 120 varieties of potatoes are grown in Poland today. Anouschka, Belana, Bellinda Colette and Glorietta are excellent for boiling and can be enjoyed hot, or cold in salads. Bellarosa, Catania, Elfe, Jelly, Red Sonia, and Vineta are good “mashers,” and also work brilliantly well in meaty, saucy recipes.
The Poles use starchy potatoes like Bryza, Gracja, Ibis, Gustaw and Tajfun, to make Polish potato pancakes, but for folks in the USA who want to try their hand at making them, Russet, Idaho, and Yukon gold work well, while for Brits, Desiree, Estima, King Edwards, or Maris Piper do the trick nicely. One thing that makes the humble potato so widely beloved is its amazing versatility. They can be the star of the show as a main, a side, or a desert. It’s partly their versatility that elevates the humble potato to the ranks of food royalty.
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