Background
Polish Potato Cake is a recipe that grew popularity in the North-eastern region of Poland. Specifically Mazovia, Podlasie and Suwałki. The recipe, is considered to originate from Belarus. Common records usually credit this down to the combined occupation of Belarus and Poland during the cold war.
However, some Poles can testify the recipe being handed down from generations long before the Cold war. Suggesting the recipe began close to a century earlier.
The beauty of this dish is the simple ingredients. Combined with a long cooking time, it makes for a tasty but humble recipe. The dish delivers the best result when using potatoes more suitable for baking such as Russet, Idaho, Desiree or King Edward potatoes. That being said, I’ve found success in using all purpose potatoes for this recipe.
Ingredients for Polish Potato Cake
| – 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) of all purpose potatoes – 300g (11 oz) of bacon bits (or finely chopped) – 3 Large eggs – 1 Large onion – 1 Teaspoon of salt and pepper |
Preparation for Polish Potato Cake
- Wash and peel the potatoes
- Peel the onion
- Finely chop the bacon (if its not pre-cut in bits)
Method
Grate the Potatoes and Onion
In a large mixing bowl, finely grate the potatoes. Before grating the Onion. For this part you can also use a food processor if you have one.
Don’t stress if there is a lot of liquid from grating. Once your finished, place a plate or lid over the top of the mixing bowl and tilt to let the water drain out. There is no need to squeeze or strain the grated mix as any moisture left in the vegetables will evaporate during cooking.
Mix It Up & Bake
Now add the egg’s, bacon, salt and pepper before mixing thoroughly. Once combined, grease a large dish suitable for baking. For this I use a lasagne dish which is 26x26cm (10×10 inches). Ideally the mixture should be no less than 5cm (2 inches) deep and no more than 8cm (3 inches) deep to prevent over/under cooking.
Evenly spread the mixture across the baking dish and place in a pre-heated oven at 180°C (355°F) for 90 minutes.
Serving
Babka ziemniaczana is traditionally served as independent meal. However, Beetroot and carrot salads are commonly served as a side.
Storage
If refrigerated within an hour of cooking and placed in an airtight, food safe container. Up to 3 days is possible for storage.