Łazanki is a perfect dish for autumn. Nutritious, aromatic and filling, it will quickly warm you up on colder days. Sauerkraut, which is the base of this dish, will provide the body with many ingredients that strengthen the immune system. It’s worth remembering this old recipe.
Although many people think that łazanki is a typically Polish invention, the history of this dish dates back to the Renaissance. It was then that Queen Bona Sforza, who came from Italy to the court of Sigismund the Old, brought the recipe for pasta and many other culinary innovations to Poland. The Italian “lasagna” over time transformed into the homely “łazanki”. Small, square noodles combined perfectly with cabbage and meat. This dish is still most popular in central and eastern Poland, especially in Masovia and the Lublin region, where housewives pass down recipes from generation to generation. Although I met them in Silesia.
In the Polish People’s Republic, łazanki gained the status of a cult dish. They were cheap, available and easy to make even in conditions of product shortage. Sauerkraut gave them a characteristic, sour taste, and a bit of sausage or bacon was enough to make them a full meal. No wonder they appeared both in canteens and in home kitchens, often seasoned only with salt, pepper and a bit of marjoram. In the Lent version, sausage and bacon were often replaced by forest mushrooms.
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Our grandmothers started łazanki by making homemade pasta. Our task is easier because this product is available in every store. That’s why the recipe for łazanki with sauerkraut and sausage is extremely simple:
Ingredients:
- 500 g sauerkraut,
- 200 g smoked bacon,
- 200 g of smoked pork sausage,
- 250 g of noodles pasta (square),
- onion,
- 2 bay leaves,
- 2 allspice,
- a teaspoon of sugar,
- a bit of marjoram,
- salt and pepper.
Preparation:
Start by cooking the noodles in a pot of salted water according to the instructions on the package.
While the pasta is cooking, drain the sauerkraut from the brine and chop it into smaller pieces. Put everything into a pot and pour water enough to cover the cabbage. Add bay leaves, allspice, salt and pepper. Season with a teaspoon of sugar. Cook for approx. 15 minutes. Drain the cabbage and throw it into the heated oil, stir regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom, until it softens.
While the cabbage is stewing, prepare the bacon and sausage. Cut the meat into medium-sized cubes. Wash, peel and chop the onion. Fry in a pan, stirring occasionally. When the fat melts, add the chopped onion and wait until it turns translucent.
Drain excess fat from the stuffing and add it to the cabbage. Season with marjoram. Mix everything over gentle heat so that the sausage and bacon combine well with the cabbage and release their aroma.
Finally, add the previously cooked noodles to the cabbage with bacon and sausage. Mix well and keep over gentle heat for a few more minutes so that all the ingredients are well combined and heated. Stir everything so as not to burn the pot. Serve immediately, the noodles will also be delicious the next day after reheating.
Sources: guster.pl, Terazgotuje.pl
