Description
Traditional Polish Krokiety are savory crepe-like rolls filled with a flavorful mixture of sauerkraut, wild mushrooms, and sautéed onions. These delicious pancakes are filled, rolled, breaded, and shallow-fried until golden and crispy, making a perfect appetizer or main dish when paired with beetroot soup (Barszcz).
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 500g sauerkraut with juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 allspice berries
- 30g dried wild mushrooms
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 250g white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon Vegeta seasoning
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt, to taste
Pancakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter (for batter)
For coating and frying
- 2 eggs, whisked (for dipping)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil (for shallow frying)
Instructions
- Prepare sauerkraut: Place sauerkraut with its juice in a pot and add enough water to cover fully. Add bay leaves and allspice berries, then simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours until the sauerkraut softens, adding water as needed to keep it submerged.
- Rehydrate wild mushrooms: Place dried wild mushrooms in a jug or small pot and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 15 minutes until softened, then remove and chop. Reserve the mushroom soaking water, avoiding any sediment.
- Sauté onions and mushrooms: Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Fry diced onions until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add sliced white mushrooms, raise heat, and cook until mushrooms start to brown. Season with Vegeta and black pepper, then remove from heat.
- Make pancake batter: Blend all pancake ingredients (flour, milk, eggs, salt, oil) until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled non-stick pan over medium heat and pour a small amount of batter, swirling to spread evenly. Cook pancakes until set, then transfer to a plate. Repeat for all batter.
- Prepare filling mixture: When sauerkraut is done, drain and discard spices. Let cool enough to handle, then finely chop. Mix the sauerkraut with both the chopped wild mushrooms and the sautéed mushrooms and onions. Season with sugar, black pepper, and salt to taste.
- Fill and roll krokiety: Place about 2 tablespoons of filling onto each pancake. Fold in the left and right sides, then roll up tightly.
- Bread the krokiety: Dip each rolled pancake in the whisked eggs, then coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs. If not frying immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Shallow fry krokiety: Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat, using enough oil to coat the sides of the rolls. Fry krokiety for about 3 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.
- Serve: Enjoy krokiety hot, either on their own or accompanied by traditional Polish beetroot soup (Barszcz).
Notes
- Use high-quality sauerkraut with juice for the best flavor.
- Be careful not to brown the onions too much during sautéing to maintain sweetness.
- Dried wild mushrooms add an earthy depth; soaking water can be used in other recipes but avoid sediment.
- The pancakes should be thin and flexible for easy rolling.
- Krokiety can be prepped ahead and refrigerated before frying.
- Serve with Barszcz for an authentic Polish experience.