Background
Polish Sauerkraut Potatoes (Ciapkapusta) is one of the officially recognised, traditional dishes of the Silesia region (śląskie) in southern Poland. A recipe that can be dated back to the late 1800’s. The name of this dish is a conflict of three languages Polish, German and śląskie dialect. Thus this dish goes by many names in the region, but we will stick with Ciapkapusta as its officially recognised.
This dish is traditionally used as both a main course and a side dish. In winter its most commonly had in a bowl on its own. In summer time its very common to be used as a side portion with pork ribs or steak. Making it a wonderfully versatile recipe to have in the kitchen.
Ingredients for Polish Sauerkraut Potatoes
| – 1kg (2.2 lbs) Potatoes (all purpose) – 500g (1.1 lbs) Sour cabbage (Sauerkraut/Kiszona kapusta) – 400g (14 oz) Onions – 150g (5.3 oz) raw smoked bacon – 3 Tablespoons of cooking oil – Salt – 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper |
Preparation for Polish Sauerkraut Potatoes
- Wash and peel the potatoes
- Peel and finely chop the onions
- Drain the cabbage
Method
Cut & Boil
I recommend cutting the potatoes finely, slices no more than 2cm (3/4 inch) thick. This will help, reduce cooking and soaking time. If you suspect your potatoes to have a lot of starch or are pasty in texture, place them in a large bowl or pot of cold or ice water for around 15-30 minutes after cutting.
Boil the potatoes until they are soft enough for mashing, try not to over cook them. Ideally they should be used once they are soft enough to penetrate with a fork but don’t break/fall apart on their own. For me this only took 15 minutes on high heat. Once they’re ready, turn off the heat and let them sit in the warm water until the other ingredients are ready for mixing, before mashing them.
Cook the Sour Cabbage/Sauerkraut
While the potatoes are cooking, place 500g (1.1 lbs) of Sour Cabbage/Sauerkraut in a pot with 1/2 cup of water. Cover the pot and bring to the boil. Once the cabbage begins boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking it for around 30 minutes until soft. When its cooked, remove to a strainer and thoroughly remove the water access and set aside for later.
Fry the Bacon and Onions
Now that the Potatoes and Cabbage are on their way. We can get the last part ready. Preheat a large frying pan with 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to medium-high heat. Fry the bacon for a few minutes, before adding the onions. Continue frying until the onion has started to brown slightly and the bacon is fully cooked.
Mash and Mix
Now your Cabbage, Onion and Bacon is ready. Drain the Potatoes and mash them until the lumps are gone. Potatoes will obviously be the dominate flavour base. So I recommend adding the Pepper and salting as necessary to the desired taste. Once seasoned, add the cabbage, onions and bacon to the mash and mix thoroughly.
Serving Polish Sauerkraut Potatoes
I recommend serving this dish while hot. Ciapkapusta can be served on its own. However, its commonly served as a side for Pork ribs, steak or fried cutlets.
Storage
If stored in an airtight food safe container, within an hour of cooking. Up to 3 days should be possible in the refrigerator for this dish.