The story behind the recipe
Kulebiak is part of the shared tradition of Eastern European and borderland cuisine, and in Poland, it has numerous home and regional variations. Ministerial descriptions of kulebiaks document various doughs and fillings: cabbage, mushrooms, grains, fish, or meat. There is no single mandatory recipe for all regions.
We prepare a simple, large yeast kulebiak with cabbage and dried mushrooms, without meat or fish. This is a contemporary home recipe, not a specific protected product from a particular place. The most important aspects are the steamed, cooled filling and a tight bottom. The finished strudel is best cut after a short rest, when the dough is no longer very delicate.
Ingredients
Dough
- 450 g all-purpose flour
- 220 ml milk (lukewarm)
- 20 g fresh yeast
- 1 pc egg
- 60 g butter (melted and cooled)
- 10 g sugar
- 7 g salt
Filling
- 700 g sauerkraut (after squeezing)
- 30 g dried mushrooms
- 200 g onion
- 40 ml rapeseed oil
- 2 pcs bay leaf
- 3 pcs allspice
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Top
- 1 pc egg (for brushing)
Method, step by step
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Rinse the mushrooms and soak them in about 500 ml of water for 30–60 minutes. Cook until soft for about 25–30 minutes. Drain, reserving the strained broth, and finely chop. While soaking, start preparing the dough according to the following steps: the filling and rising can be done in parallel.
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Chop the cabbage. In a pot, add about 200 ml of mushroom broth, the cabbage, bay leaves, and allspice. Simmer for 35–45 minutes until soft, then evaporate uncovered. Remove all spices whole.
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Chop the onion and sauté it in oil until translucent. Add the mushrooms, fry for 3 minutes, then combine with the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the filling in a shallow dish and let it cool completely.
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Mash the yeast with sugar, 50 ml of lukewarm milk, and a tablespoon of flour taken from the total. Set aside for 10–15 minutes to froth.
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From the remaining flour, salt, egg, milk, and the yeast mixture, knead a soft dough. After a few minutes, add the butter and continue kneading until elastic, for a total of about 10 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume, usually 60–75 minutes.
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Roll the dough out on paper into a rectangle about 35×40 cm, about 6 mm thick. You can cut a narrow strip for decorations. Do not dust with a thick layer of flour.
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Along the center, place the cold filling, leaving free ends and edges. Fold the shorter ends inward, then close the longer sides over the filling. Carefully seal the seam.
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Using the paper to help, turn the strudel seam side down and transfer it to the baking sheet. Attach decorations with a bit of water. Leave covered lightly for 25 minutes until it puffs up slightly.
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Preheat the oven to 185°C, top and bottom heat. Brush the top with egg and make 3–4 small steam holes, without cutting through the entire dough.
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Bake for 35–45 minutes until evenly golden brown. If the top browns too early, loosely cover it with foil. The bottom should be baked through, and the dough near the filling should not be wet.
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After removing, wait 15–20 minutes. Cut with a sharp serrated knife into thick slices, without pressing down hard on the entire strudel. Serve with hot borscht.
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