Czechoslovakian Pagach Recipes

TRADITIONAL SLOVAK HALUSKI

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels. When bacon is cool, crumble and set aside.
• Place potatoes into a food processor and process until pureed, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, eggs, baking powder, and salt to make a sticky dough. Set dough aside.
• Fill a large pot about half full of lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Ladle large spoonfuls of the sticky dough to a small cutting board and use a knife to chop the dough into tablespoon-size pieces; as you cut off a piece, drop it into the boiling water. Let the dumplings boil over medium heat until they float, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon to a large serving bowl.
• Sprinkle bacon crumbles and a handful of shredded brick cheese over each batch of dumplings; continue to make, boil, and transfer dumplings to the bowl, sprinkling each batch with bacon and brick cheese. When all dumplings are made, gently stir the haluski to mix all ingredients.

PAGASH -- PIEROGI PIZZA -- POLISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Saute onion in butter or margarine until translucent and golden; stir into mashed potatoes along with cheddar cheese.
• Refrigerate to let flavors meld.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Spread pizza crusts with potato mixture.
• Top with Provolone and Mozzarella cheese mixture and bake until shells are baked and cheese is melted.

PAGAC (PAGACH)

Steps:

• Pour scaled milk over salt, sugar and shortening.
• cool to lukewarm.
• add egg.
• dissolve yeast in water.
• add to milk mixture.
• Add about half the flour, beat well.
• add remainder of flour, beat well.
• Turn out on floured board and knead for 5 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl.
• let rise until doubled in bulk (about 2 hours).
• divide into two portions.
• flatten one half on cookie sheet ( used a pizza stone and rolled it out on the stone).
• Spread on filling.
• then place the other half one top, flattened,(I rolled mine out on a board and then put it one top).
• Spread melted butter on top to brown. bake until golden brown at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. (my oven took about 32 minutes.
• Filling:.
• Brown chopped onion in butter,.
• drain boiled potates cut cheese into them.
• pour butter and onions into potatoes.
• Mash well and cool.
• spread between pagac dough rounds8-10.

PAGACH RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water (105 degrees). Add the salt and 2 1/2 cups flour. Knead until smooth, adding more flour as needed if the dough is still too sticky. Place the dough on a plastic countertop and cover it with a stainless-steel bowl. Allow it to rise until double in bulk. Meanwhile, make the filling (recipes follow). Punch down the dough. Divide it into 2 parts. Roll the dough out into a rectangle, 18 x 12 inches. Place the filling on one side of the rectangle, being careful to leave a margin of about 2 inches from the edges. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling so that you now have a turnover, 9 x 12 inches. Pat the top of the dough down lightly into the filling. Carefully pinch the edges together. Spread the salad oil on top and sprinkle generously with the salt or garlic salt. Place on a greased baking sheet. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Pagach and Cheese Potato Filling: Boil peeled potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds); drain and mash with a little butter and milk. Add grated sharp Cheddar cheese to the potatoes and cool (the more cheese, the tastier). Taste for salt and black pepper. This is a great filling for Pierogi or Pagach. Pagach Cabbage Filling (Sweet Cabbage Filling) : Cook 1 large peeled and sliced onion in 1/2 to 3/4 cup oil until soft. Add shredded green cabbage (medium head) and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover and cook until the cabbage is soft. Drain the excess oil. This makes a good filling for Pagach or Haluski.