Polish Christmas Wigilia Meal & Foods Menu & Recipes

Kluski z Kapusta ala Ciocia Martha
Aunt Martha's Kluski Noodles with Cabbage

Here is one of our family's classics, another traditional dish from our culinary leader,
Ciocia Martha Dankowski. My late sister Patty made it often for parties and buffets.
David makes it for Wigilia (without the bacon, of course.). It is an all-around crowd-pleaser.
We also like it for parties--set up in Busia's old Nesco, warming all day long.

INGREDIENTS:

• small head cabbage
• 1/2 lb. mushrooms
• 1 cup dried Polish mushrooms (David's version)
• 1/2 lb. bacon
• 2 onions
• 1 stick margarine (Aunt Martha version) (David's version: 1/2 stick butter instead)
• 1/2 lb. Kluski noodles (Polish egg noodles)
• salt & pepper to taste

RECIPE:

Chop onion and fry slowly till limp in margarine. Chop cabbage in small squares and add to onions. Wash mushrooms and chop and add to cabbage. Fry bacon crisp and break up into small pieces and add to mixture. Cook all this on very low flame (covered). Simmer till cabbage is tender. In mean time cook noodles. Before cooking in salted water, break noodles in small piece. When done drain and add to mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.

NOTE: You can make the same dish with kraut instead of fresh cabbage.

NOTE: David's version is more earthy--using the traditional Polish mushroom as well as button mushrooms. His version begins with soaking the Polish dried mushrooms overnight. In morning, drain mushrooms and chop finely, reserving water. Sauté these with the other mushrooms as directed. At simmering stage, David adds the mushroom water being careful not to pour in settled dirt in bottom of bowl.

Back to Menu & Recipes

Recipe (c) David and Ann Gunkel 2003. May not be reproduced without permission.