Recipe for: Potato Babka with Bacon - photo 1
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Recipe for: Potato Babka with Bacon

Pikantne Regional Cuisine of Poland Main dishes 60 min Hard 32 wyświetleń ~24.03 PLN - (0)
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Description

Traditional Polish potato babka with crispy pieces of bacon — a hearty, rustic dish from regional cuisine. It is based on raw potatoes grated on a grater, which, after squeezing out the moisture, we combine with egg, flour, and spices, and for flavor, we add sautéed bacon and onion. It is baked in a loaf pan or springform pan, creating a golden, aromatic crust and a moist interior. Perfect as a main dish for lunch with sour cream or a slightly vinegary young cabbage salad; it also works great for family gatherings and rustic-style parties. Visually appealing with a golden-brown, slightly cracked surface and visible pieces of bacon — highlighted with fresh parsley.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (13)

Servings:
4
  • Potatoes 8 szt. (~1200 g)
  • Smoked bacon 200 g
  • Onion 1 szt. (~150 g)
  • Garlic 3 ząbki (~15 g)
  • Chicken egg 2 szt. (~120 g)
  • Wheat flour 50 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 10 g
  • Black pepper 4 szczypty (~2 g)
  • Marjoram 4 g
  • Parsley 1 pęczek (~30 g)
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Butter 30 g
  • Sour cream 200 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~24.03 PLN (6.01 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Wash the potatoes under running water, peel them. Place the peeled potatoes on a cutting board and prepare a grater with small holes. Keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water to prevent them from darkening if you are not grating them all at once.

Use a sharp, metal grater with fine holes or a food processor with a fine grating disc. If using a food processor, work in batches to avoid clogging. The board and knife should be dry to securely hold the potatoes.
2

Start the onion and garlic: peel the onion, cut it in half and grate it on a fine grater or chop it very finely. Peel the garlic and press it through a garlic press or chop it very finely.

Ingredients: Onion, Garlic
Use the same grater as for the potatoes for an even texture of the mixture. If you don't like pieces of onion, sauté it separately until translucent (3-4 minutes) — description below.

Sautéing bacon and onion

3

Cut the bacon into small cubes (about 0.5 cm). Heat a pan over medium heat, pour in the canola oil (about 2 tablespoons) and add the bacon. Fry for 6-8 minutes until the fat renders and the pieces become golden and crispy. Add the grated onion and fry for another 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and slightly caramelized. Finally, add the garlic and fry for 20-30 seconds until you can smell the aroma. Set aside and let it cool slightly.

Ingredients: Smoked bacon, Rapeseed oil, Onion, Garlic
Use a pan with a diameter of 24-28 cm. Do not fry on too high heat — the bacon may burn. If you prefer a milder flavor, sauté the onion separately in butter for 6-8 minutes.

Potato dough

4

Grate the potatoes on a fine grater directly into a large bowl. If grating in batches, keep the grated potatoes in a bowl with a little cold water, then drain the water and strain in a sieve.

If the mixture is watery, set small amounts on a sieve and let the starch drain out — this is normal. Use protective gloves while grating to avoid abrasions.
5

Transfer the grated potato mass onto a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth, wrap it up, and squeeze out as much liquid (potato juice) as possible over a bowl. Collect the squeezed liquid and let it sit for 1-2 minutes — a white starch will settle at the bottom. Pour off the water, keeping the starch, and add it back to the potato mass.

Squeeze it tightly — this is a key step. The more water you remove, the denser the cake will be. Add starch to ensure the mixture is not too loose.
6

To the well-drained potato mixture, add the egg (beaten), wheat flour, salt, black pepper, and marjoram. Add the sautéed bacon with onion and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or by hand until the ingredients are combined. The mixture should be thick but not dry — if it's too loose, add 1-2 more tablespoons of flour.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Salt, Black pepper, Marjoram, Smoked bacon, Onion
Use a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula. If the mixture sticks to your hands, lightly dust your hands with flour. Check the seasoning with a small portion: fry a teaspoon of the mixture in a pan and taste it.

Baking

7

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top-bottom). Prepare a loaf pan (about 25-30 cm) or a springform pan 22-24 cm: grease the inside with oil and (optionally) butter, then lightly dust with flour or breadcrumbs. Transfer the potato mixture to the pan, smooth the top with a spoon, and press down gently.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Butter
Use a pan with metal sides for better browning. Do not fill the pan to the brim — the batter may rise a bit and spill over.
8

Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes at 200°C, until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted comes out almost dry. If the top is browning too much, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil after 30 minutes.

Ingredients: Smoked bacon, Wheat flour
Check the degree of baking from the 40th minute. The inside should be moist but not raw; a skewer should come out with a few crumbs of moist mixture. Use a thermometer: the inside should reach about 90°C.

Cooling and Serving

9

Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes to allow the mixture to 'set'. Then gently transfer the cake to a board, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and slice. Serve hot with sour cream on the side or with a young cabbage salad.

Ingredients: Parsley, sour cream
Use a wide spatula to remove the cake from the mold. If you used parchment paper, gently peel the paper away from the edges before removing it to avoid damaging the edges.

Additional variations

10

If you want to diversify the recipe: add grated carrot (200 g) to the mixture for color and sweetness or use smoked sausage instead of bacon. For a firmer version, add 1 tablespoon of potato starch or more flour.

Additionally, you can add carrot to enhance the flavor/texture. When adding carrot, remove some of the flour to avoid drying out the mixture.

Fun Fact

💡

Potato babka originates from the peasant, potato traditions of Central Europe; its name 'babka' refers to the shape of the baked good (loaf/cake pan), and the dish was popular as a hearty meal after the harvest.

Best for

rodzinny obiad przyjęcie w stylu wiejskim święta regionalne

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the slices hot, generously topped with sour cream and fresh parsley. For contrast, serve a young cabbage salad with apple cider vinegar or pickled cucumbers. Cut into thick slices and serve with garlic or yogurt sauce.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a covered container. To reheat: place the slices in an oven preheated to 180°C for 8-10 minutes to regain crispiness; the microwave will soften them and make them lose their crispiness.

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