The story behind the recipe
Zalewajka is a great example of a dish that turns a few simple ingredients into a complete meal. The most important elements are the potatoes cooked until soft and the rye sourdough added at the end. This ensures that the cubes do not remain hard, and the soup has a pleasant, bread-like aroma. The bacon and onion serve as a garnish: they are meant to enhance the flavor, not overshadow the sourdough.
The Ministry of Agriculture describes the Łódź zalewajka with a roux, as well as the zalewajka from Rogów, a tradition brought by post-war settlers. This dish has many homemade variations. Our version with bacon, without sausage and without additional roux, is a contemporary editorial adaptation. The cream softens the flavor, but it can be omitted.
Prepare a pot with a capacity of at least 4 liters and a separate frying pan. The quantities provided yield about six dinner bowls. Before cooking, check whether the product you bought is liquid sourdough for żurek or a ready-made, seasoned soup: they have different concentrations, compositions, and salt contents.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 750 g potatoes (weight after peeling; cubes about 1.5 cm)
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150 g smoked bacon (cut into small cubes; adjust salt after tasting)
Abroad: smoked bacon; Räucherspeck - 150 g onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1200 ml water (plus a little for adjusting thickness)
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300 ml liquid rye sourdough for żurek (well mixed; first add 200 ml)
Abroad: rye sour soup starter, not bread sourdough -
100 g sour cream 18% (optional; for tempering)
Abroad: sour cream or crème fraîche - 1 pc bay leaf
- 3 pcs allspice
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dried marjoram
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Method, step by step
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Prepare the ingredients. Peel the potatoes, rinse them, and cut them into even cubes about 1.5 cm. Chop the onion and garlic, and cut the bacon into small pieces. Measure the sourdough into a separate pitcher and mix the sediment from the bottom thoroughly. Do not add the sourdough to the potatoes at this stage.
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Place the potatoes in a pot, pour in 1.2 liters of water, add the bay leaf and allspice. Lightly salt, if the bacon and sourdough are not very salty. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 12–18 minutes, until the largest cube can be easily pierced.
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While the potatoes are cooking, heat a dry frying pan. Add the bacon and fry over medium heat for about 5–7 minutes, stirring until some fat is rendered. If there is a lot of fat, drain the excess into a heatproof container; leave about a tablespoon in the pan.
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Add the onion to the bacon. Fry for 5–7 minutes over moderate heat until soft and golden, not dark brown. Add the garlic in the last 30 seconds. The picture shows the finished garnish; black pieces of onion would give the soup a bitter taste.
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Check the softness of the potatoes before adding the sourdough. If they are hard inside, continue cooking them in the same water. To the soft potatoes, add the bacon with the onion, reserving a small spoonful of the garnish for serving if desired. Remove the bay leaf and allspice. Add the marjoram, crushed in your hands.
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Stir the sourdough again and pour in about 200 ml in a thin stream while stirring the soup. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring often at the bottom. Taste; if you want a more distinctly sour zalewajka, add the remaining sourdough and bring to a boil again. If necessary, add hot water.
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Add pepper. If using cream, mix it in a bowl with a few tablespoons of hot soup, adding gradually. Reduce the heat to the minimum, pour in the tempered cream, and mix. Do not bring to a vigorous boil.
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Finally, adjust the salt: the sourdough and bacon may have already provided enough. Remove the pot from the heat. Ladle the soup into bowls, distributing the potatoes and garnish evenly. Serve immediately; a slice of rye bread is an addition, not an ingredient needed for thickening.
Photos
