There are many ways one could approach Polish breakfast. Everyday, quick, grab-something-before-school/work kind of breakfast is most likely a sandwich. At home, open face sandwiches are served with a variety of toppings. Pork or turkey “lunch meats” garnished with a slice of a tomato are popular, or topped with a tuna salad for fish lovers, yoghurt with granola for those looking to fill up on grains and protein, naleśniki for those who have more time to putts around the kitchen in the morning, scrambled eggs with ham or sausage for those needing a bit more of a pick-me-up, or my personal favorite: soft-boiled egg with a couple of slices of sourdough rye bread with butter, a few slices of a juicy and ripe tomato or radishes and the star of the show in my eyes: farmer’s cheese with dill and chives. If I don’t have any farmer’s cheese on hand, I sometimes substitute with cottage cheese.
There are many ways to prepare twarożek [tvah-roh-zehk]. Some add diced tomatoes, cucumbers and/or radishes, and most add dill and chives. Tangy and spreadable paste is lightly salty and creamy. Dill and chives help bring in a sense of summer freshness to the dish. I realize this is quite different from what America is used to for breakfast, but I encourage you to venture into this new realm of flavors and you may surprise yourself how pleasant this combo is… especially if Polish blood runs through your veins… you may just get hooked… and I hope you do.
Polish Farmer's Cheese Breakfast {Twarożek Śniadaniowy}
Ingredients
- Farmer's cheese*
- Sour cream
- Dill
- Radishes / tomatoes / cucumbers (all or a choice)
- Salt
Instructions
The amount of sour cream you will need, will depend on what kind of farmer's cheese you use. If it is a solid brick of farmer's cheese, break it up with your fingers first, then start adding sour cream - a tablespoon at a time to bring it to consistency of ricotta cheese (its still spreadable, but it won't fun off your bread). Keep mashing with a fork to continue breaking up the curds and mixing the sour cream in.
You may also choose to add diced tomatoes, cucumbers or radishes. Up to your individual preference.
Add as much chives and dill as you'd like. Don't forget salt.
Notes
Some farmer's cheese will not any sour cream, just depends on the brand and consistency.
* If you cannot find farmer’s cheese at your local grocery store, you may choose to make your own (recipe here), or purchase it on line (here).
Enjoy and smacznego!
Anna
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Thank you for the inspiration! Made this for Saturday morning breakfast, using some homemade ricotta and a bit of kefir to moisten it, with the last of the herbs from the garden. My polish-born wife was almost crying while eating it and gave official “stamp of approval” 🙂
Tom, that IS the best stamp of approval one can get! I wish you many more Polish cooking adventures! Anna
Seems legit ! Although in UK you would look for “Twaróg” instead of “Farmer’s cheese”. You can buy it in Tesco. Import from Poland….well at least while UK is still in EU. My partner (we are both Polish) makes a nice mackerel paste with twarog. If you buy a polish whole smoked mackerel with tail and skin on. It’s so oily and fat. You strip it off the bones and mix the meat with twarog and mix of yogurt and mayo (preferably polish Winiary brand), then some spring onions or chives, salt and pepper. It’s very tasty.
We primarily stayed in apartments while visiting Poland and one early morning I was caught without anything to eat for breakfast. The only thing we could find opened was a McDonalds. We did not have one bad meal in Poland so we were just about to starve rather than go to McDonalds. Low and behold they served something very similar to this for breakfast. Now we have made this part of our breakfast repertoire and tell everybody even the McDonalds is good in Poland.
Oh yes! I love that they serve this at McD’s. My favorite breakfast item, by far!
Living in Montana, VERY far from Poland, the UK or even my native state of New Jersey USA where one could purchase farmer’s cheese easily. So now I can make my own and enjoy what to me are authentic pierogi. Thank you, Anna, I will make some this week.