Traditional Slovak Haluski Food

SLOVAK HALUSKI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Melt butter in a skillet over low heat; cook and stir onion until onion is softened and butter is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add cabbage and toss to coat. Place a lid on the skillet; cook cabbage mixture, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove lid and continue to cook until cabbage begins to brown, 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Mix noodles and cabbage together in a serving bowl; season with salt and pepper.

TRADITIONAL SLOVAK HALUSKI

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels. When bacon is cool, crumble and set aside.
• Place potatoes into a food processor and process until pureed, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, eggs, baking powder, and salt to make a sticky dough. Set dough aside.
• Fill a large pot about half full of lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Ladle large spoonfuls of the sticky dough to a small cutting board and use a knife to chop the dough into tablespoon-size pieces; as you cut off a piece, drop it into the boiling water. Let the dumplings boil over medium heat until they float, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon to a large serving bowl.
• Sprinkle bacon crumbles and a handful of shredded brick cheese over each batch of dumplings; continue to make, boil, and transfer dumplings to the bowl, sprinkling each batch with bacon and brick cheese. When all dumplings are made, gently stir the haluski to mix all ingredients.

TRADITIONAL SLOVAK HALUSKI

Steps:

• For potato dumplings (Haluski):
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, eggs, potato puree, baking powder, and salt together throughly - mixing it into a sticky dough. Set aside.
• Take a large pot, fill it a little over half full with water and add a dash of salt to the water. Boil water on high heat.
• On medium heat in a skillet, fry up the bacon till crisp and then remove bacon from the pan and allow it to drain on paper towels. Cool bacon and then crumble it. Set aside.
• In the meantime, on a small cutting board ladle sized amount of Haluski dough(at a time) and with a knife, cut about 1 teaspoon sized pieces while holding the board over the boiling water and drop the dough into the water. You might want to do this in batches.
• Let each small batch boil till dumplings are throughly cooked and floating to the top of the boiling water. (They sink when first dropped in). Repeat with another batch of dough until you've used it all.
• Strain dumplings out of the water and add them to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle bacon crumbles, handful of brick cheese (or feta)at a time for each layer. Add next layer of dumplings and repeat the layering process as you finish cooking additional batches of dumplings.(approximately four times of layering).
• When complete, take a large spoon and throughly mix Haluski with all of the other layers to incorporate all the ingredients thoroughly.
• Serve as is or add Kielbasa on the side or slice up Kielbasa and mix it in with Haluski!
• Optional toppings: Sauerkraut.
• Serve with a warm crusty bread!

SLOVAK HALUSKY DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cook bacon cubes in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned. If using onion, add it to skillet and fry mixture until bacon is well cooked and onions are transparent, or about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, add chopped potatoes in a food processor and process until completely puréed.
• Add salt and flour into potato mixture a little at a time, processing after each addition. The batter is done when a spoon will stick straight up in the dough.
• Place a third of the thick batter onto a cutting board. Using a knife, scrape about 15 small bits of dough into boiling water.
• When they all float to the top, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large colander to drain. Repeat process with all remaining batter on board, and remaining two thirds in food processor.
• Once all dumplings are cooked, add into large skillet with bacon and combine well. Serve immediately and garnish with chives, if using.

OLD FASHIONED, AUTHENTIC, HUNKY HALUPKI

Steps:

• Method:.
• - Core and boil the cabbage heads.
• -- remove outer leaves as they become blanched -- do not over-cook.
• -- stack on cookie sheet as they come out of the water - they will continue to soften.
• -- cut thick vein from each leaf.
• - mix together your meat, drained rice, chopped onion, garlic powder, parsley, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and egg.
• -- to sweeten up the meat a bit, I add a good squirt of ketchup (there's only one brand - Heinz) and 1/2 can of tomato soup (you probably don't need this if you use pork - but at least try the ketchup).
• - fill your rolls and roll 'em up -- don't roll too tight - you will be able to tuck in the ends by pushing in with your little finger -- if they're rolled to tight, they'll explode in your hand -- or fold over the ends of the leaf when rolling sort of like a round burrito.
• -- it doesn't take long to do this -- have fun.
• Now for the artistry:.
• - Line the bottom of your roaster with bacon - roaster should be deep enough to add several layers and hold adequate liquid.
• - Top the bacon with a good layer of left-over cabbage leaves -- the ones too small to roll or ripped leaves.
• - layer with sauerkraut.
• - sprinkle a little caraway seeds.
• - layer with thickly sliced onion and chopped garlic.
• - add 6-10 bay leaves, depending on the amount.
• - layer the halupki - alternating direction of layers.
• -- incorporate 2 - 3 inch lengths of kielbasa throughout.
• - add remaining tomato soup if used.
• - add tomatoes and sauce.
• - salt and pepper.
• - add cabbage water to cover.
• Bake at 350 for one hour then reduce heat to 250 for three more hours.
• -- or reduce heat to 175-200 overnight - check to ensure enough liquid - don't dry them out.
• Serve with kick-ass mashed potatoes.
• - roast as much garlic as you would like in the potatoes.
• Cube potatoes and for best results add sea salt and refrigerate for a few hours.
• - rinse and drain potatoes, cover with water and lightly boil until soft.
• Mash together with butter, canned milk, cheddar/freshly grated Parmesan cheese, sea salt, white pepper, roasted garlic, jarred diced garlic, a little garlic powder, and grape seed oil.
• Now that's some good ol' Hunky eatin'!

AMERICANIZED SLOVAK HALUSKI

Steps:

• For potato dumplings (Haluski):.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, eggs, potato puree, baking powder, and salt together throughly, mixing it into a sticky dough. Set aside.
• Take a large pot, fill it a little over half full with water.
• Add a dash of salt to the water. Boil water on high heat.
• On medium heat in a skillet, fry up the bacon until crisp; remove bacon from the pan and allow it to drain on paper towels.
• Cool bacon and crumble.
• Keep bacon fat in the skillet for caramelizing onions and frying up dumplings.
• In the same skillet, caramelize chopped onions on low heat. This should take about 30 to 45 minutes, occasionally stirring. When they are done, drain onions in a strainer over a small glass bowl reserving bacon fat and the set aside. Keep the same skillet to fry the dumplings.
• In the meantime, on a small cutting board, ladle Haluski dough and with a knife, cut about 1 teaspoon sized pieces while holding the board over the boiling water; drop the dough pieces into the water. You might want to do this in batches; a ladle sized amount of dough pieces at a time.
• Let each small batch boil until dumplings are throughly cooked and floating to the top of the boiling water. (They sink when first dropped in). Repeat with another batch of dough until you've used it all.
• Strain dumplings out of the water and add them to a medium bowl to drain for a moment.
• Take each batch and add them to the skillet. Add a little bacon fat over the dumplings and fry on both sides on medium heat until brown.
• Repeat with the remaining batches of dough as they finish boiling.
• Place dumplings into a large serving bowl.
• Sprinkle bacon crumbles, two slices of cheese, a Tablespoon of caramelized onions at a time for each layer.
• Repeat the layering process as you finish cooking additional batches of dumplings - frying in the pan, layering into the large serving dish with bacon, onions and cheese until full batch is done (approximately four layers).
• When complete, take a large spoon and throughly mix Haluski with all of the other layers to incorporate all the ingredients thoroughly.
• Serve as is or add Kielbasa on the side, or slice up Kielbasa and mix it in with Haluski!
• Garnish with sprinkles of freshly chopped chives on top, add a dollop of sour cream to each serving and serve with a nice warm crusty bread!