Recipe for: Summer kulebiak with zucchini and dill filling - photo 1
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Recipe for: Summer kulebiak with zucchini and dill filling

Spicy Cakes and Bakes Regional Cuisine of Poland 120 min Medium 0 views ~27.98 PLN - (0)
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Description

Summer kulebiak with zucchini and dill filling is a light, seasonal variation of the classic Russian-Polish pastry — a long, rolled pie made with yeast dough, filled with fresh summer vegetables and aromatic dill. This Masurian twist emphasizes the delicacy of zucchini and the freshness of herbs instead of heavy fillings, making it perfect for a picnic by the lake, a summer lunch in the garden, or a snack at a barbecue gathering. Inside, creamy cottage cheese and sour cream bind the filling, while a sprinkle of toasted seeds adds a pleasant crunch. The dish is visually striking — a golden, shiny top with a contrasting green interior — and has a balanced, slightly herbal flavor with hints of butter and garlic.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (18)

Servings:
8
  • Wheat flour 500 g
  • Fresh yeast 25 g
  • Milk 250 ml
  • Chicken egg 3 pcs (~180 g)
  • Butter 50 g
  • Sugar 20 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Zucchini 3.2 pcs (~800 g)
  • Onion 1 pcs (~150 g)
  • Garlic 2 clove (~10 g)
  • Cottage cheese 250 g
  • 18% cream 100 ml
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Salt 8 g
  • Dill 1.5 bunch (~30 g)
  • Black pepper 4 pinch (~2 g)
  • Nutmeg 2 pinch (~1 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Cheese 100 g
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds 50 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~27.98 PLN (3.50 PLN/serving)

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Cake

1

Prepare the starter: in a saucepan, heat the milk to a temperature of about 35°C (pleasantly warm to the touch on the inner side of your wrist). Crumble the yeast into a small bowl, add a teaspoon of sugar from the 20 g provided, and pour in 75 ml of warm milk from the bowl. Mix only the center with a fork to dissolve the yeast and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, a foam should appear on the surface — this is a sign that the yeast is active.

Ingredients: Fresh yeast, Sugar, Milk
Use a small glass or plastic bowl. If there is no foam after 10 minutes, the yeast may be inactive — start over with fresh yeast. Do not use boiling water (above 45°C kills the yeast).
2

Pour the wheat flour (500 g) into a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into it, add the remaining warm milk (the rest from 250 ml), 120 g of lightly beaten eggs (2 pieces), soft butter (50 g), the rest of the sugar, and salt (8 g). Start to combine the ingredients with a wooden spoon from the center towards the edges, and when the mixture begins to come together, start kneading by hand or with a mixer with a hook.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Milk, Butter, Sugar, Salt, Fresh yeast
Use a large bowl (at least 3 l) and a mixer with dough hooks or knead by hand on a countertop for 8–10 minutes. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and not stick to your hands — if it is too dry, add a tablespoon of milk, if too wet, add a tablespoon of flour.
3

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and set aside in a warm place for 60–75 minutes to rise. The dough should double in volume — press with your finger; if the indentation slowly springs back, it is ready.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Fresh yeast, Milk, Butter
Use a bowl with a diameter of at least 24 cm and cover it with a clean cotton cloth or plastic wrap. Do not place the dough in a draft — it's best near a warm oven.

Filling

4

Prepare the filling ingredients: wash the zucchini (800 g) and grate it on a coarse grater or cut it into small cubes. If the zucchini is very watery, lightly salt it and set aside for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess juice with your hands or through cheesecloth.

Ingredients: Zucchini, Salt
For grating, use a standard grater or a knife for fine dicing. If the filling is too wet, the kulebiak may become soggy — be sure to squeeze the zucchini thoroughly.
5

In a pan, heat rapeseed oil (30 g). Add chopped onion (150 g) and sauté over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent and soft. Add minced garlic (10 g) and sauté for 30–45 seconds, until the garlic starts to smell — be careful not to let it brown.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Onion, Garlic
Use a pan with a diameter of 24–28 cm. Fry over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spatula to prevent the onion from sticking. Allow the onion to become translucent — this indicates that the zucchini will have a better flavor.
6

To the sautéed onion, add the drained zucchini and fry for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the pieces soften and lose their raw taste. Finally, add the chopped dill (30 g), season with black pepper (2 g) and optionally salt to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly (5–8 minutes).

Ingredients: Zucchini, Dill, Black pepper, Onion
Fry on medium heat, stirring every few seconds. The filling should be soft but not falling apart — check by trying a piece; it should have a pleasant, soft texture.
7

In a large bowl, combine the cooled zucchini with cottage cheese (250 g) and cream (100 ml). Add a pinch of nutmeg (1 g) and check the seasoning with salt and pepper. If you are using cheese (optional), add the grated cheese (100 g) now. The mixture should be creamy and slightly thick.

Ingredients: Cottage cheese, 18% cream, Nutmeg, Black pepper, Cheese, Dill
Use a wooden spoon or spatula. If the filling seems too loose, add a bit more cottage cheese or drain excess cream. Additionally, you can add cheese for stretchiness.

Assembling and baking

8

Gently deflate the risen dough with your fist and place it on a lightly floured countertop. Roll it out into a rectangle measuring about 40×30 cm (thickness approx. 1–1.5 cm). Evenly spread the filling in the center of the rectangle, leaving about 3–4 cm of free edge on all sides.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Cottage cheese, Zucchini, Cheese
Use a rolling pin and a floured countertop. Do not roll the dough too thin — it should still rise in the oven. If the dough shrinks while rolling, set it aside for 5 minutes, covered with a cloth.
9

Roll the rectangle into a tight log along the longer side, starting from one shorter end to the other, pressing the edges to seal. Transfer the log to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and shape it into a slightly flattened boat or a classic elongated kulebiak.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Cottage cheese, Zucchini
Use a spatula to lift the dough if it's hard to move. Pinch the edges together with your fingers or lightly moisten with water — this will prevent the filling from leaking during baking.
10

Brush the top with beaten egg (60 g) for a nice color. If you like, sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds (50 g) for crunch. Preheat the oven to 190°C (top-bottom) and bake the kulebiak on the middle rack for 30–40 minutes, until the top is golden and the bottom is well baked.

It's best to use the convection setting; if your oven tends to burn the top, set the temperature to 180°C. Check the doneness by tapping gently — the sound should be hollow. If the top browns quickly, cover it with aluminum foil.

Decoration and serving

11

Remove the kulebiak from the oven and set it on a rack to cool for 15–20 minutes. Before slicing, let it cool slightly — the hot filling may spill out. Cut into slices 2–3 cm wide and serve warm or at room temperature.

Use a sharp bread knife or a wide chef's knife. Cutting while hot often tears the structure — wait those 15–20 minutes for clean slices.
12

Serve slices of kulebiak with fresh dill and a light cucumber and tomato salad, or as part of a buffet. Kulebiak also tastes good chilled — perfect for a picnic.

Ingredients: Dill
Additionally, you can serve a yogurt dip with dill. Arrange the slices nicely on a large board, and garnish with sprigs of dill for visual effect.

Fun Fact

💡

Kulebiak is a traditional dish from East Slavic cuisine; in Poland, it has become an impressive, rolled pastry served at celebrations. The summer version with zucchini is a contemporary interpretation, light and adapted to the seasonal products of Masuria.

Best for

piknik letni obiad w ogrodzie przyjęcie na świeżym powietrzu

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the kulebiak sliced into 2–3 cm wide pieces. It pairs wonderfully with cool kefir, buttermilk, or a light vinaigrette. If serving cold, gently sauté the slices in a pan with butter for a refreshed crunch.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2–3 days. To reheat, place the slices on a baking sheet and heat in the oven for 10–12 minutes at 170°C or in a covered skillet for a few minutes. Do not freeze the filling rich in cream — it may separate after thawing.

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