Eastern European Cooking

Eastern Europe on the globe

Eastern European cooking involves some of the following countries: Belarus, Serbia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine.

Many of these countries are covered with rows of beautiful sunflowers in the summertime, ancient architecture, world history and beautiful mountains.

In the summertime you’ll find fruit and vegetables are plentiful, cheap and deliciously fresh. Eastern European cooking uses a lot of cabbage, potatoes, onions and carrots. They are cheap and can be stored through the winter.

Facts about Eastern Europe

Bulgaria is a leading producer of rose oil
Sunflower oil is highly produced thanks to the fields of sunflowers
Fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful and cheap in the summertime thanks to local farmers

Ukraine building with Ukraine flag colors

Learn a Little Language

Dobir dehn- Good Afternoon
La revedereh -Goodbye in Romanian
Da-Yes

Eastern European Cooking -International Recipes

Borscht
This is a common Eastern European cooking recipe and takes a little preparation.
Pork roast cooked and shredded or cubed
3 Carrots, diced
5 Potatoes, diced
2 Beets, peeled and shredded
Green cabbage - ½ head, shredded
Onion, chopped
1-2 Cups Tomato juice
2 chicken Bouillon cubes
Wrap two beets in foil and roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour until a fork pierces the skin. Cool, peel, and shred or chop in food processor. Chop potatoes in cubes, slice carrots, chop cabbage, and chop onion. Place all vegetables in large pot. Add cooked meat and beets to pot. Cover with water and cook on medium to low for one hour. Add bouillon, tomato juice and pepper. Taste to see if it needs anymore seasonings. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or dried parsley if fresh isn’t available. **You can also add beans to the soup. Use fresh beans instead of canned. Soak beans overnight then cook them covered with water. Add a bay leaf and a quartered onion to the water. Cook 1 hour or until soft on medium heat. Drain water off and add to soup.

New and the old buildings. Eastern European ancient church in Sofia Bulgaria

New and the old buildings. Eastern European ancient church in Sofia Bulgaria

Cabbage Rolls
1 large head of cabbage, cored **see note at end of recipe** and leave some in middle to chop
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onions, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 big carrots, peeled and grated
1 lb lean beef, ground, not cooked
1 cup white rice or brown rice
2 bay leaves
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
Tomato juice
Sour cream
Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add carrots and 1/2 Cup of chopped cabbage. Saute several minutes. Add about 1/2 Cup of tomato sauce. Take off heat. Add uncooked rice and ground beef (not cooked). Season with salt and pepper. In large saucepan add several cooked cabbage leaves and 2 bay leaves to bottom of pan. Spoon meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Depending on cabbage leaf size use a small amount or large. Fold up snuggly from bottom and sides and roll up. Place in bottom of saucepan seam side down. Stack on top of one another. Place 1-2 fresh cabbage leaves on top. Cover with 1 Cup of tomato sauce and tomato juice to cover. Cook on low 1- 1/2 hour. Serve with sour cream. This Eastern European cooking recipe makes a large amount and often is eaten throughout several days as the leftovers keep well.
****Take out the core of the cabbage first and then put it in a steamer or large boiling pot of water. After about 5 minutes of steaming separate leaves. Add cabbage back to the pot of boiling water if some cabbage leaves are not easily removed. Remove thick center vein from each leaf.

Eastern European Cooking Video: Vareniki

Moussaka
A popular Eastern European cooking recipe in Bulgaria.
1 lb. Ground beef or ground pork
One onion, finely chopped
2 lbs. Potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons parsley
Salt and pepper to taste 3 eggs
1 Cup plain yogurt
2 Tablespoons flour In a skillet ground beef and onion together until beef is no longer pink. Drain meat and add chopped potatoes, chopped tomatoes and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. In bowl, blend eggs, plain yogurt, and flour together. Pour over potato mixture. Bake for 10 minutes longer.

Alexander Nevsky cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria

Alexander Nevsky cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria

Hungarian Goulash
2 pounds beef steaks, cut in cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 bay leaf
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cup sour cream
Toss steak and flour together in small bowl. Add steak, chopped onions and garlic in crock pot. Add seasonings including salt, pepper, paprika, thyme and bay leaf to crock pot. Add in chopped tomatoes. Stir together and cook on low 8-10 hours. Stir sour cream in soup before serving. Serve over noodles.

Easy Chicken Paprika
4 chicken breasts, cut in cubes
Diced onions
3 Tablespoons oil
2 Cups chicken broth or stock
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Cup sour cream
4 Cups cooked noodles
Brown chicken and onions in oil. Add paprika and broth to pan and simmer 20 min. Stir in sour cream and continue cooking another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spoon over noodles.

Pierogi
This is typically a Polish dish but you often find Pierogi in Russia and throughout Eastern European cooking. You can create these with whatever filling you choose. Try cooked ground beef or pork, cheese and potatoes, cabbage or fruit fillings. They are similar to a stuffed dumpling.

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a mixer add flour, eggs, sour cream and salt together. Mix together to form a ball of dough. Take out of mixing bowl and knead on a floured surface 5-10 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes wrapped in plastic wrap. Roll dough out and cut circles out of the dough by using the bottom of a glass or biscuit cutter.
homemade valeniki

Filling for Potato Cheese pierogi.
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup cottage cheese
1 onion, minced
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Saute onion in butter. Mix mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, sauteed onion, egg yolk, sugar and season with salt and pepper.
To assemble pierogi place a spoonful of filling on each circle dough and moisten ends with water. Seal together by pressing with your finger or using the back of a fork. To cook, Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt to water. Add pierogis and cook about 5 minutes. (they will float to the top of the pot). You can fry these with chopped ham and butter. Or serve this Eastern European cooking recipe with sour cream or drizzle with melted butter.

Try a traditional Eastern European Easter Bread recipe.

Mamaliga
This is a Romanian dish also seen in other Eastern European cooking. This is also known as polenta and resembles a cornmeal mush.
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups cold water
1/4 cup-1/2 cup butter, according to taste
1 Cup sour cream
Mix cornmeal, salt and cold water together. Set aside. Add 4 cups of water to a large pan and bring to a boil. Add cornmeal mixture to boiling water. Continue stirring until thickens. Cover pan with a lid and turn heat down to low. Cook about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in butter and sour cream. Place in a casserole dish and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Top with cottage cheese or sour cream, if desired.