Polish
Babka Ziemniaczana
Podlasie grated-potato babka with smoky pork, sweet onion, marjoram, a tender starch-set center, and a deeply crisp crust.
8 servings · 50 minutes prep · 95 minutes cook
Ingredients
Bacon, sausage, and onion
- 8 oz, Thick-cut; cut into 1/4-inch dice.
- 4 oz, Use smoked Polish sausage and cut it into 1/4-inch dice.
- 2 medium onions, 12 oz total, Weigh out 100 g (3 1/2 oz) to grate raw; cut the remaining 240 g (8 1/2 oz) into 1/4-inch dice.
- 2 medium cloves, about 2 tsp minced, Minced.
Potato mixture
- 4 lb 8 oz, yielding about 4 lb after peeling, Peel before finely grating into a pulp.
- 3 large eggs, about 5 1/4 oz without shells, Use large eggs.
- 1/4 cup, Level the cup if measuring by volume.
- 2 tsp, Rub between the fingers before adding.
- 1 tsp, Finely ground.
- 2 tsp, Diamond Crystal kosher salt; adjust if using a denser brand.
- All recovered potato starch, usually 2 to 4 tbsp, The listed quantity is a typical yield; use all of the natural starch recovered from the drained potato liquid.
For the pan
- 1 tbsp, Reserved from the bacon, in addition to the tablespoon used for cooking the onion.
- 1 tbsp, Use with the reserved bacon fat to coat the hot pan.
- 2 tbsp, Use fine, plain dry breadcrumbs.
Directions
Render the bacon and brown the aromatics
- On a {{tool:cutting-board}}, use a {{tool:chef-knife}} to cut smoked bacon into 1/4-inch dice. Heat a large 12-inch {{tool:large-skillet}} over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and cook for 10 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has released most of its fat and is lightly browned but still pliable. Do not make it fully crisp, because it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Lift the bacon onto a plate with a {{tool:slotted-spoon}}. Pour the rendered fat into a heatproof {{tool:measuring-cup}} and reserve exactly 2 tablespoons: 1 tablespoon for the skillet and 1 tablespoon for the baking pan. Save or discard any excess separately so it does not make the center greasy.
- Using a {{tool:kitchen-scale}}, weigh out 3 1/2 ounces from the full quantity of yellow onion and finely grate it; reserve this raw portion for the potatoes. On the {{tool:cutting-board}}, use the {{tool:chef-knife}} to cut the remaining 8 1/2 ounces of onion into 1/4-inch dice. Return 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat to the skillet.
- Add the diced onion and smoked sausage to the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and golden at the edges and the sausage is lightly browned. Add garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, fold in the rendered bacon, and let the mixture cool while grating the potatoes.
Grate, drain, and recover the potato starch
- Heat the {{tool:oven}} to 425°F with a rack in the lower third. Set an empty light-colored, heavy-gauge metal 9-by-13-by-2-inch {{tool:baking-dish}} nearby; heat it only after the batter is ready. Do not use glass or ceramic.
- Place a fine-mesh {{tool:colander}} over a {{tool:large-bowl}} and line it with a {{tool:clean-kitchen-towel}}. Peel russet potatoes, removing any green portions. Using the fine, prickly holes of a {{tool:box-grater}}, grate the reserved raw onion first and then the potatoes into a pulpy, not shredded, mass. Mix the onion through the potatoes as you work to slow discoloration.
- Transfer the pulp to the lined colander in batches. Gather the towel and press firmly enough that liquid flows into the bowl, then stop when the pulp holds together in a wet clump and only intermittent drops fall. Do not twist it bone-dry; expect roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups liquid, although potato moisture varies.
- Leave the collected liquid undisturbed for 10 minutes. Carefully pour off and discard the dark liquid without disturbing the dense beige-white potato starch stuck to the bottom. Scrape all of the recovered starch into a clean {{tool:large-mixing-bowl}} with ample room for the batter.
Mix the batter
- Add the drained potato pulp, egg, all purpose flour, dried marjoram, black pepper, and kosher salt to the recovered starch. Mix thoroughly with clean hands or a sturdy spoon until no dry flour or streaks of egg remain.
- Fold in the bacon, sausage, onion, and garlic mixture, including the small amount of fat clinging to it. The batter should be thick and spoonable, with a little moisture appearing when pressed, but it should not release a watery puddle. Mix and bake promptly because raw grated potatoes darken and continue shedding water as they stand.
Build the crust and bake
- Put rendered bacon fat and lard in the metal baking pan. Heat the pan in the 425°F oven for 7 to 9 minutes, until the fat is shimmering but not smoking.
- Wearing {{tool:oven-mitts}}, remove the hot pan and carefully tilt it to coat the bottom and sides. Sprinkle in fine dry breadcrumbs, turning the pan so they adhere in a thin layer. Immediately spoon in the potato mixture; it should sit about 1 1/2 inches deep and no higher than three-quarters of the pan's capacity. Smooth the top without compacting it.
- Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Without opening the door, reduce the oven to 375°F and continue baking for 55 to 70 minutes.
- The babka is done when the top and edges are deeply chestnut brown, the sides have pulled slightly from the pan, and the center feels firm and resilient rather than fluid when pressed. An {{tool:instant-read-thermometer}} inserted into the center must register 200–205°F. A thin knife should meet a moist, cohesive center but emerge without raw, milky potato batter. If the top reaches deep brown before the center is hot enough, cover it loosely with {{tool:aluminum-foil}} for the final 10 to 15 minutes.
Rest and serve
- Rest the babka in the pan for 25 minutes. During this time, the recovered starch finishes setting so the moist center can be sliced cleanly.
- Run a thin knife around the sides and cut the babka into 8 pieces. Lift each piece out with a firm metal {{tool:spatula}}, preserving the crisp bottom crust, and serve hot or warm.
