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Authentic Zapiekanka Recipe Poland, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Often dubbed as Polish pizza, zapiekanka is a popular Polish street food in the form of a baked open-face sandwich which can be up to 50 cm long. Although nowadays it comes in numerous varieties, classic zapiekanka is still the most popular one. It is prepared with a classic French baguette or other elongated white bread, which is cut in half lengthwise and topped with white button mushrooms sautéed on some onion. The mushrooms are sprinkled with grated cheese and toasted in an oven until the cheese melts and becomes crispy on the outside. The final touch is to drizzle the hot zapiekanka with some tomato ketchup, although some people prefer mayonnaise or spicy pepper sauce.
Cooking tips
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bread
Typically, zapiekanka is made with a classic French baguette. A loaf should be cut in half lengthwise, which means a regular sandwich may be up to 50 centimeters long. Alternatively, you can cut the baguette in slices under an angle, so the surface is slightly bigger. You can also choose Italian ciabatta bread or any kind of bread buns. -
cheese
Choose a cheese with a high content of fat which melts well, such as gouda, edam, emmental, tilsit or cheddar. To make sure the cheese melts perfectly, grate it on a coarse grater. In Poland, zapiekanka is sometimes made with smoked sheep milk cheese, such as oscypek. Feta cheese and mozzarella also work well, and you can use cream cheese as a binding agent for other ingredients, such as ham and vegetables.... Read more -
mushrooms
To prepare a classic mushroom topping for zapiekanka, start with simple white button mushrooms. To remove dirt, pat them with a damp kitchen towel or clean them with a soft mushroom brush. Soaking the mushrooms in water is not recommended, because they tend to become tasteless. Cut the mushrooms into thin slices or grate them on a coarse grater, and cook them on some sautéed onion for 10 minutes, ... Read more -
toppings
A drizzle of ketchup or mayonnaise works perfectly with any kind of zapiekanka. Apply them right after you take the zapiekanki out of the oven, or serve them on the side. -
baking
Zapiekanka is typically baked in an oven preheated to 180-200˚C for 3 to 10 minutes. The cheese needs to melt completely and become slightly crispy on the top. Some recipes suggest sprinkling the sides of the baguette with a little water, so it doesn’t dry out during baking.
Recipe variations
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Zapiekanka Caprese
Ready in 19minStrongly influenced by Italian cuisine, this zapiekanka recipe combines mozzarella cheese with olive oil, garlic, fresh tomatoes, and basil leaves for a fresh, tasty summer snack. Also, using ciabatta bread instead of a classic baguette gives this Polish recipe a real Italian twist.
Zapiekanka with Spinach
PREP 15min
COOK 10min
READY IN 25min
Fresh spinach leaves, onions, and a combination of white and yellow cheeses are the main toppings in this zapiekanka recipe.
Ingredients
Zapiekanka with Spinach
400 g spinach leaves
2 onions
100 g yellow cheese
150 g feta cheese or salty cheese with nuts or almonds
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
3 bread buns
1 tbsp butter or oil
Preparation
1
Zapiekanka with Spinach
Step 1/7
Peel the onions and chop them finely.
Step 2/7
Heat the oil or butter in a large pan and sauté the onion for a few minutes, until it browns slightly.
Step 3/7
Add the spinach leaves and let them wilt.
Step 4/7
Transfer the spinach to a large bowl, season it with salt and pepper, and mix with crumbled feta cheese or salty cheese.
Step 5/7
Cut the bread buns in half lengthwise and remove some of the soft bread from the middle.
Step 6/7
Bake the buns in an oven preheated to 180-200˚C for 5 minutes. Add cheese and spinach filling, sprinkle with grated yellow cheese, and return to the oven until the cheese melts.
Step 7/7
Serve hot, with a spicy pepper sauce.
Other Variations
-
Zapiekanka Caprese
Ready in 19minStrongly influenced by Italian cuisine, this zapiekanka recipe combines mozzarella cheese with olive oil, garlic, fresh tomatoes, and basil leaves for a fresh, tasty summer snack. Also, using ciabatta bread instead of a classic baguette gives this Polish recipe a real Italian twist.
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