Pretzel Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup warm water 105-115 degrees F

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

22 ounces (~4 1/2 cups) all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

10 cups water

2/3 cup baking soda

Topping:

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Coarse salt

Instructions

In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Stir to combine and let sit until frothy, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of large food processor fitted with a dough blade or a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the butter and frothy yeast with water. If using the food processor, process until dough comes together.

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic. Place in oiled large bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to an hour.

Place rack on lower third of oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with oil.

On a lightly oiled work surface, divide risen dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each into an oval loaf and cover with towel. Let rise for about 10 minutes until puffy.

In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil, then add baking soda. Gently place one loaf in boiling water for 30 seconds, turning halfway. Remove with a large slotted spoon to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with other loaf. Brush each with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Cut a shallow "X" shape on top of the loaves or 3-4 parallel slashes across the top.

Bake in preheated oven until deep brown and hollow sounding in center, 20-25 minutes. Let cool on wire rack about 15 minutes before slicing.

Best served day of baking. If necessary, one loaf can be frozen and warmed to defrost later

Apfelstrudel

Serves 6.

For the filling:
500g sweet apples
the zest and juice of a lemon
50g caster sugar
ground cinnamon
50g golden sultanas
50g flaked almonds

For the pastry:
½ lb package of frozen butter puff pastry, thawed
1 tbsp water
1 egg

Directions

Peel, core and quarter the apples. Cut each quarter into thin slices. Toss them with the lemon zest and juice, the sugar and ground cinnamon. Add the sultan as and flaked almonds. Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6.

Roll out dough on a floured surface until about 12" x 16".

Put the apple mixture down the bottom half of the long side of the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around the outside.

Fold in the short sides and then roll up like a jelly roll.

Put strudel on baking sheet with the seam side down.

Mix egg and water. Brush on strudel. Cut ¼-inch deep slashes across diagonally across top.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool before sprinkling with powdered sugar and serving.

 Can also serve with vanilla cream

 

Kartoffelkloesse (Potato Dumplings)

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large russet potatoes

For the Croutons/Crumbs:

½  stick unsalted butter

1 cups fresh bread cubes

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste

1 large eggs

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ tablespoon snipped fresh chives, or to taste

Directions

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool until easily handled.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes; cook and stir until golden brown and crunchy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer bread to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Reserve the browned butter in the pan.

Peel potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Mash and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir in eggs and mash until combined. Add flour; stir just until flour disappears. Do not overmix dough.

Bring a pot of salted water to a simmer. Dampen hands with water and scoop a spoonful of the dough onto your palm. Shape into a circle, make a light indentation in the center, and place 2 or 3 croutons inside. Roll into a smooth ball, sealing in the croutons. Repeat with remaining dough and croutons.

 Use a large spoon to lower dumplings into the simmering water, one at a time. Cook until they float to the top, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until set, flipping dumplings over halfway, until 20 minutes.

Place dumplings on a serving plate. Drizzle with reserved browned butter. Crumble remaining croutons on top and garnish with chives. Let dumplings firm up slightly before serving, about 10 minutes.

Rotkohl (Sweet/Sour Red Cabbage)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds red cabbage ,very thinly sliced

1 large yellow onion ,finely diced

1 large Granny Smith or other semi-tart apple ,peeled, cored and diced

1/4 cup butter 

2 tablespoons red currant jam ,or cherry preserves (optional)

2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

3 whole cloves

3 juniper berries

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the onions until lcaramelized and just beginning to brown, 7-10 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Add the apple, broth, bay leaf, cloves, juniper berries, red currant jam, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if needed. Combine the flour and water until dissolved and stir into the Rotkohl. Simmer for another minute. Add more salt, sugar and vinegar to taste.

Traditionally served with roasts, Rouladen, Sauerbraten and potatoes, Spaetzle or Knoedel.

Schweinbraten (Roast Pork)

Schweinebraten, is a traditional Bavarian recipe that translates as Roast Pork. Frequently served in Beer Halls, this is a pork shoulder that’s roasted long and slow in a rich sauce. Once sliced the sauce is poured over the pork and served with traditional sides like sauerkraut and potato dumplings

prep 20 mins/4hrs total/makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients

4 lb(s) Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast

1  Onion ( cut into chunks)

2 Carrot ( diced)

2 cup(s) Chicken Broth ( divided)

1  cup(s) Beer

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

1  Tbsp Salt ( use 3/4 tbsp. if less salt desired)

1  tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Ground Paprika

1 tsp Ground Caraway Seed

Stoneground Mustard ( you can substitute another mustard that you prefer if desired)

Directions

Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and caraway seed in a small bowl. Rub mustard over all surfaces of pork and then spread the seasonings evenly over the outside.

Add vegetable oil to a Dutch oven and heat to medium high heat. Once hot, place the roast in the oven and brown on all sides. When browned, remove the pork and set aside.

After removing the browned pork, add the onion and carrots and cook until soft. Once soft, pour in 1 cup chicken broth and beer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape browned bits of pork and veggies from the bottom of the Dutch oven into the liquid. Simmer for five minutes.

Add the pork back into the Dutch oven and place into an oven heated to 350ºF. Cook uncovered for 3 hours, until the internal temperature of the pork is 165ºF.

Once the pork is done cooking, remove the pork from the Dutch oven and set aside for slicing. Strain the remaining liquid out from the Dutch oven into a sauce pan. Add one more cup of chicken broth to the liquid and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened to your liking. If desired, you can thicken the sauce with flour.

After letting the roast sit for 15 minutes, slice the roast into thin slices and serve with gravy over top and sauerkraut and potato dumplings on the side. Enjoy!

Sauerkraut Balls

yield: 8 BALLS

prep time: 15 MINUTES cook time: 15 MINUTES total time: 30 MINUTES

Ingredients

1.5 links (about 1/4 lb) uncooked bratwurst, casings removed
½  onion, medium sized, diced
3/4 cup sauerkraut, drained
1 tbsp bread crumbs
½  tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1.5 tbsp cream cheese
0.5 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
0.5 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp flour
1 eggs
1/8 cup beer (sub with water or milk)
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs

 

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat brown the bratwurst while breaking it up with a wooden spatula or spoon (Optional - bratwurst is already seasoned, but if you desire more pronounced flavors you can add a pinch or two of cumin and/or ground caraway seeds at this stage).

Add the diced onion, mix it in and let soften. Once the bratwurst is fully cooked let the mixture cool down.

In a mixing bowl add the drained sauerkraut, breadcrumbs, parsley, cream cheese, salt and pepper, garlic powder and cooled off bratwurst and onion mixture.

Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated and form into golf-sized balls. Arrange them on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 min to let them firm up.

Prepare a breading set up - one bowl with flour, one bowl with the beaten eggs + beer (sub water/milk), one bowl with breadcrumbs.

To Bake

Heat oven to 375 F.

Bread the chilled sauerkraut balls (in this order: flour, egg and then breadcrumbs) arrange on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serve with honey mustard or Bavarian whole grain mustard.