It was when I was a student, living on my own for the first time in London, that I really started to appreciate Polish breakfasts. I rarely managed to get up at breakfast time, much less have anything reasonable in the fridge. But I always woke up starving, and breakfast often consisted of leftovers, thrown together in a melange that sometimes worked surprisingly well, and at others, not at all. When eggs and butter were all I had, scrambled eggs were a trusted friend, eaten straight out of the pan to save on washing up (I remember doing this, imagining I was a character in a Camus novel). I was slightly crazy with the excitement of it all. I daresay students these days are probably more organised and grown up than we were in the 1990s, but a hearty Polish breakfast can suit all tastes, budgets and cookery levels.
Although I’m sure they exist, I’ve never known a Polish person who skips breakfast. It seems to be in our genes, and my nine-month-old daughter and I are no exception.
On weekends, a brunch-type meal tends to happen naturally, without planning, and at my family home this can turn into a long and leisurely affair. We might start off with savoury kanapki (open sandwiches with a variety of toppings) or sweet kasza – this means “grains”, but it’s essentially porridge – and move on to something warm, such as scrambled eggs, a typical Polish black pudding with buckwheat groats, or a sweet omelette. We always finish on a sweet note, some homemade cake or yoghurt with fruit and nuts, drizzled with linden honey. Drawing out the first meal like this really sets the tone for the day: if you get the balance right, you will feel satisfied, energised and ready to take on whatever life throws at you.
And that includes hangovers. During traditional Polish wedding celebrations, the breakfast on the day after the party is called poprawiny, and it’s used as an excuse to start the revelries once again. The cold dishes are washed down with a little vodka to ease sore heads, and before you know it, the warm dishes start appearing and the party resumes with more music, food and dancing. This is the old Polish way.
When I was a child – despite the difficult political climate and empty shops – we found solace in eating together and would often end up at my gran’s for a “second breakfast”. It was a common thing in those days because, of course, no one would ever leave their house without having eaten their first breakfast. Sometimes, I would run up the nine floors to her flat, fired by the anticipation of her cooking (and to avoid the unpleasant lift). The vague smell of her baking would get stronger and clearer as I ran down the long, dimly lit corridor until I finally reached her door. My spirits were lifted the moment I stepped inside, greeted by the multicoloured dishes set out on the tables and familiar smells wafting from the kitchen. There were always guests, there was always vodka or moonshine on offer, and there was always something to celebrate. Home.
Having just started a family myself, I want to recreate the warmth and deliciousness of those days in my own home. Cooking is my way of doing this. Even the simplest dishes can evoke deep feelings of comfort. While long, candlelit dinners have the power to bring glamour and romance into our lives, breakfast’s charm lies in its ordinariness. Breakfast is practical and unfussy, most enjoyable shared with family and close friends, – people you know and don’t need to make an effort with – and best of all when not rushed. Having all that delightful time to spare is what I miss most about being a student. If I had to do it all again, I would spend more time sharing long breakfasts with friends and not save it only for those rare weekends when I went home.
Scrambled eggs with sausage
Scrambled eggs come in many guises, and this is one of my favourites. Myśliwska is the best sausage to use for this – it’s a dried variety available in every Polish shop. I have not come across a Polish shop that doesn’t have it, but if you do, then ask them for something similar: Wiejska will also work well.
Serves 2
150g dried sausage, preferably Polish, finely chopped
5 eggs
A dash of milk
Salt and white pepper
A handful of fresh chives, to serve
1 Fry the sausage in a frying pan until it releases its fat and becomes crisp – about 5 minutes.
2 In the meantime, whisk the eggs with the milk and a little salt and pepper.
3 Pour the eggs into the pan with the sausage and fry on a low heat while stirring almost continuously for the 3-4 minutes it takes to cook the eggs the way you like them.
4 Serve with chives sprinkled over the top and crusty fresh bread on the side.
Semolina porridge with blackberry syrup (main picture)
Otherwise known as kasza manna.
Serves 2
200g semolina
400ml milk
A pinch of salt
150g blackberries
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp honey
1 Mix the semolina with a tiny bit of cold water to form a smooth paste – if you were to put the grains straight into hot milk you would get clumpy kasza, and no one likes that. You only need about 4 tablespoons of cold water for every 200g of semolina. Meanwhile, heat the milk with a pinch of salt.
2 In a separate pan, heat the blackberries and the sugar, covered, on a low heat, until the berries fall apart and release their lovely juices.
3 Once the milk is close to boiling, slowly stir in the semolina paste with a wooden spoon.
4 Turn the heat down and simmer for about 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Sweeten with honey to taste.
5 Serve the kasza manna in a bowl with blackberry syrup on top.
Spiced pumpkin placki
Placki are the blini’s Polish cousin. They have the same flat, round shape and size as the blini, and are just as versatile. You can make them from potatoes and onion to eat with savoury things or with flour and fruit if you fancy eating them sweet. These spiced pumpkin ones for autumn are on the sweet side of things – they make a fantastic brunch.
Serves 4-5
200g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and finely grated
50g plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp soured cream, and more to serve
Toasted almonds and honey, to serve
Rapeseed oil, for frying
1 Combine the pumpkin with the flour, spices and soured cream.
2 Heat a glug of rapeseed oil in a frying pan. Once it’s hot, put a tablespoon of batter in the pan and flatten it out.
3 Fry 4 or 5 at a time, for 3-4 minutes each side, and keep them warm in the oven until ready to eat.
4 Serve 3 or 4 placki on each plate with some soured cream in the middle, toasted almonds on top and drizzle with honey to finish.
