Polish traditions live on at holidays

By LISA LOSASSO

VINDICATOR CORESPONDENT

Traditions run deep, especially during the holidays and preparing traditional ethnic meals for a large crowd can be a daunting task, unless your whole life revolves around family, food and tradition. This is most certainly the case with Barb Kuras of Boardman. In addition to running the pierogie kitchen at St. Stanislaus in Youngstown, Barb Kuras prepares and hosts her family holiday dinners every year.

With the holidays coming, about 45 workers at St. Stanislaus are busy making pierogies every Thursday and Friday, which has been a tradition all its own for the past 35 years. Kuras, who has been there for 15 years, took over the operation about five years ago. “Many of the people who come to help are non-parishioners,” she said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

Although turkey and ham may be typical American holiday favorites, each nationality tends to add its own twist to the holiday feasts. Kuras, who spent her holidays at her grandmother’s while growing up, did not learn to make traditional Polish food until she married her husband John who was born in Poland. “I learned from my mother-in-law,” she said.

As with all ethnic meals, it is about much more than the food. It is about family, friends and faith.

Christmas Eve, affectionately referred to as Gwiazdka, meaning “little star,” was named in remembrance of the star of Bethlehem.

A traditional Polish Christmas Eve meal, the Wigilia Supper, begins with the breaking of a semi-transparent wafer of unleavened dough, which is called Oplatek, also known as “Anielski Chleb” or Angel Bread. Everyone breaks a piece to eat and passes it on with a wish for happiness and health. If there are children who do not get along, explained Kuras, the mother will tell them, “Today you will wish each other happiness, health and good wishes.” For the people of Poland and other Western Slavonic nations, the Oplatek has a mystical quality. It is much like wheat hosts used at Mass, but Christmas scenes are embossed in the baking process.

Symbolic significance

Oplatek are a symbol of unity and solidarity between family members, neighbors and friends. Family members who are absent from the celebration receive an Oplatek by mail as a sign of their communion with their loved ones at home.

According to Kuras, she cooks for eighteen during the holidays. The meatless Christmas Eve meal consists of mushroom soup; three kinds of pierogies - potato and sauerkraut, potato and cheese, and plain cheese; and mushrooms with sauerkraut and peas, to bring luck. The mushroom soup is not a cream based soup like you would find at the grocery store. It is made with mushrooms, potatoes and carrots, and has a water base. Of course, kolache is a favorite for dessert. Other traditional desserts include Tortes, often rum with cream, and Hurst, which is thin fried dough topped with powdered sugar.

Traditionally, Christmas Day brings “The Festival of the Stars.” In Poland the streets are busy with children singing carols and carrying Szopkas, or miniature nativity scenes, and a Star Boy leads a pageant of boys dressed as King Herod, Death, a Devil, an Angel, a Bishop, and many strange beasts. “The Festival of the Star” usually ends on Jan. 6, Three Kings Day. Although in some regions of Poland, it ends Feb. 2, Candlemass Day.

Traditional Polish recipes

KUSCIKI

6 eggs

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

2 teaspoons milk

1⁄2 cup butter

1⁄2 cup margarine

11⁄2 cups sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

3 teaspoons baking powder

7 to 8 cups flour, approximately

1 (3-pound) can Crisco

Confectioner sugar

Melt butter and margarine; mix with eggs, sour cream, milk, sugar and vanilla. Add baking powder, then begin adding flour one cup at a time, stirring after each cup is added. Mix with spoon until dough starts to become thick; then knead with fingers. Keep adding flour until dough no longer sticks to fingers. Roll out small portions of dough on floured surface approximately one-eighth to on-quarter inch thick. Cut into strip approximately one and 1⁄2 inch wide and six inches long. Use diagonal cuts. Cut a slit in the center of strip approximately two and 1⁄2 inches long. Take upper right hand corner of strip; pass it through the slit, and bring it back to upper right hand corner. Cookie should now have a slight curl in the center. Slice out all of dough and lay in single layers on waxed paper. When all of cookies are cut, place entire can of Crisco in large pan (approximately 41⁄2 inches deep and 9 inches in diameter). Heat shortening until hot (approximately 375 degrees). Drop strips into shortening; wait until it rises, cook another 20 seconds (or until a very light golden brown), remove from pan and let drain. When completely cool, sprinkle with generous amount of confectioner sugar. Keep in covered container or in a sealed plastic bag to retain freshness. If thicker cookies are desired, dough may be rolled out thicker and cooked a few seconds longer.

Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Paul Oklota, published in Angels and Friends Favorite Recipes.

PASCHA

2 pounds dry cottage cheese

4 hard cooked eggs

3⁄4 cup sugar

3⁄4 cup butter

4 tablespoons sour cream

4 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins

Grated peel of 1 orange

Grated peel of 1 lemon

Force cheese and eggs through a sieve. Cream butter with sugar well and add flavoring. Blend with cheese. Add salt, sour cream, raisins, and grated rinds. Press into a cloth bag and tie. Cover with a saucer and place heavy weight down on top to force moisture from cheese for 3 to 4 hours. Put in refrigerator for 12 hours or more before serving. Remove from cloth bag and slice.

Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Alfons Szarmrey, published in Angels and Friends Favorite Recipes.

POLISH SAUERKRAUT WITH PEAS

1 (1⁄2-gallon) container of sauerkraut

2 medium onions, chopped

1⁄2 bag split peas, cooked until tender, drained and pureed or 1 can Campbell’s pureed pea soup

Rinse sauerkraut and drain, put into a pan, and add chopped raw onions. Add the pureed peas to the kraut, mix all well, and bake in oven at around 350. Bake until kraut is soft tender and beginning to brown. You want it to be a nice olive green color. Not too brown.

Recipe courtesy of Stanislaw Gerchak, Youngstown

POLISH HONEY CAKE (PIERNIK)

1 pound plus 2 ounces regular flour

1 cup honey, or less if desired

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

2 eggs, separated the whites beaten separately

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon cloves

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons baking powder

In small bowl combine flour, powder, and spices. In large bowl, with a wooden spoon, beat egg yolks with sugar (reserve 2 tablespoons of the sugar), butter, and honey. Place remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar in skillet and brown (to caramelize). Slowly, add a little warm water to dissolve the sugar (careful because caramelized sugar will spatter very hot if add water too fast.). After sugar is dissolved, add to the yolk mixture. Add flour mixture a few spoons at a time alternating with the milk and mix well. Carefully fold in beaten egg whites and pour into greased pans (like the old-fashioned tube pans). Bake in middle of oven at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool couple minutes and remove from pans. This cake needs to age a couple of days. It tastes best 3 to 4 days after baking. Recipe courtesy of Stanislaw Gerchak.

KUTIA (GRUEL)

This is usually eaten after dinner as a sweet.

11⁄2 cups plain barley cooked in about 2 cups of water, or more as needed

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cook barley in enough water to keep it from burning. Add salt and butter. Boil, then reduce heat and simmer till barley is tender. Mix well from time to time to make sure it does not burn on the bottom. You do not want pieces of black bitter charcoal in this. Serve warm with honey poured over top. Everyone adds their own honey to individual taste.

Variation: If you can find a bag of wheat kernels with husks removed (such as in a store that carries ethnic foods) this is more traditional Cook the wheat with water a little salt and butter until tender, about 3 to 4 hours over medium heat. When cooked, drain and cool. Add, half cup ground plain poppy seed or more to taste, half cup chopped walnuts, half cup or more raisins, a couple teaspoons vanilla extract and sugar and honey to taste. Can do the same with the barley. This is quite a sweet dessert. In the old country, they cooked the wheat and added the leftover poppy, nut, and apricot fillings after having baked all the sweet rolls. They would then add remaining raisins and sweeten with honey.

Recipe courtesy of Stanislaw Gerchak.