82 recipes
Lemon peel cut into decorative strips or rounds, blanched to mellow its bitterness, then candied in a thick lemon-scented sugar syrup.
Beef and pork meatballs baked over softened onion and sliced tomatoes in a light braising liquid — a comforting one-dish oven bake.
Desalted salt cod simmered gently, then tossed with garlic-warmed olive oil, boiled potatoes, and parsley for a simple, hearty fish dish.
Tender simmered beef tongue served sliced under a rich sardine, sour cream, and bacon sauce — a classic way to dress up an economical cut.
A buttery pastry base topped with jam, poached pears in spiced wine syrup, and a whisked wine custard — an elegant layered torte.
Breaded, pan-fried zucchini slices layered crisscross and baked under a rich sour cream and egg topping.
Tender poached chicken pieces draped in a thick, tangy buttermilk-egg sauce and finished with a paprika butter drizzle — a rich, old-fashioned main dish.
Firm pumpkin spirals, blanched tender, slowly candied in a vanilla-lemon sugar syrup until the syrup reaches the thickness of honey.
A silky summer tomato soup finished with a light roux and small flour dumplings — a simple, meatless one-pot dish.
A colorful mix of blanched vegetables, gherkins, green tomatoes, and hot peppers is packed into jars and covered with a tangy vinegar brine.
Seared veal strips are simmered with peppers, tomatoes, and macaroni in one pan — a hearty, thrifty dinner from simple pantry ingredients.
A rich, strained brown sauce made from a bacon and vegetable base, mushrooms, stock, and white wine, finished with Madeira wine just before serving.
Shredded cabbage is salted, drained, and packed into jars, then covered with a cooled wine vinegar brine flavored with bay leaf and allspice.
Cheese-enriched egg crepes are pan-fried and filled with a creamy spinach and onion filling finished with sour cream — a savory Central European dish.
White grape juice and pureed quince are simmered with sugar into a thick, spreadable jam, then jarred for keeping through the winter.
A bread and milk panada is mixed with chopped ham, shaped into croquettes, breaded, and deep-fried until golden and crisp on the outside.
Sliced potatoes baked with crumbled cheese and butter, finished with a whisked egg and sour milk topping until set — a comforting vegetarian bake.
Sweetened chestnut puree is pressed through a ricer over whipped cream and finished with a piped border of cream — a rich chestnut dessert.
A fully clarified beef and chicken broth, simmered for hours and clarified with egg whites, then served ice-cold in cups without any garnish.
Whole fish baked over a thick bed of paprika onions and rice — a rustic, one-pan Central European dish traditionally served with potato or green salad.
A layered casserole of braised kohlrabi and seasoned ground veal, baked under sour cream and tomato - a comforting vintage Central European dish.
A rich, collagen-thickened soup made from slow-simmered veal trotters, finished with a tangy egg and wine vinegar mixture and served with toasted bread cubes.
A festive New Year's punch of oranges, pineapple, and peaches macerated in sugar, then mixed with white wine, cognac, and maraschino liqueur
A whole fish stuffed with a seasoned rice, onion, parsley, and paprika filling, sewn shut, dredged in flour, pan-fried, and finished in the oven.
Small clusters of grapes are packed into jars and covered with a light sugar syrup, then home-canned for a stable preserve to enjoy through the colder months.
A naturally fermented, lightly sparkling drink made from dried rye bread, yeast, sugar, and lemon, bottled and left to carbonate for a couple of days.
Finely puréed veal and ham, enriched with Parmesan and a soft bread paste, formed into small dumplings and poached in hot broth for an elegant soup course.
Bite-sized chocolate-coated tartlets filled with silky coffee custard cream, unmolded like a bonbon. A no-bake Central European confection for dessert tables.
Small, buttery rolls enriched with mashed potato and folded for extra tenderness - a classic savory bite from early 20th century Central European kitchens.
Large cucumbers filled with seasoned ground meat, braised with bacon and root vegetables, then finished in a tangy lemon sauce - a savory main course.
A whole young squash parboiled, then stuffed with ground veal, hard-boiled and raw egg, milk-soaked bread, and sour cream, baked until the filling sets.
A hearty layered casserole of pre-roasted ground meat, sautéed sauerkraut, and thinly sliced raw potato, baked in a bacon-lined mold until golden.
A rich egg-free chocolate cream, thickened with flour instead of yolks, cooked on the stovetop and chilled until set.
Homemade dough sheets pre-baked on a griddle, layered with a sauteed pumpkin, whipped egg, and cinnamon filling, then baked and finished with vanilla sugar.
Whole pork loin braised until tender, served over cabbage slow-cooked with caramelized sugar, onion, and caraway, finished with a splash of vinegar.
A rich yeasted cake made from thin rounds of egg-yolk dough, layered with sugar, walnuts, and an optional apricot preserve.
Small rolls of mixed ground meat and rice wrapped in young linden leaves, simmered gently and finished with a paprika roux.
Eggplant halves salted to draw out bitterness, stuffed with a garlic and parsley breadcrumb filling, and finished on the grill.
A two-crust pastry with a walnut, chocolate, and rum filling, encased in a buttery rum-scented dough — a rich Central European baking classic.
Chicken pieces double-dredged in flour and a beer-and-egg batter, then fried until golden — a simple, crisp early 20th century technique.
Thin, delicate egg crepes with very little flour, pan-fried and rolled around jam, finished with vanilla sugar — a simple Central European classic.
A mix of onion, green tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper in a sweet-sour vinegar brine, canned for winter storage — a Central European preserving classic.
Delicate butter cookies made with hard-boiled egg yolks, rolled into crescents and coated in vanilla sugar — a forgotten Central European baking technique.
A pale pastry crust topped with fresh peaches and a chilled almond custard cream, cooked over a double boiler — a light Central European fruit dessert.
Coarsely mixed ground beef shaped into thumb-thick rolls and grilled, seasoned only with salt — a simple early 20th century technique.
A rich four-layer almond torte with two contrasting fillings — vanilla custard and chocolate-hazelnut — finished in a poured chocolate glaze.
A flourless almond sponge cake with a hidden wafer layer and a row of baked peaches through the middle, finished with a dusting of sugar.
Blanched baby sweet peppers layered in jars with a vinegar, oil, garlic, parsley, and celery dressing, topped off with vinegar and refrigerated.
Flourless chocolate almond cookies, cut into hearts and dried in a low oven until firm outside and soft within.
Boned veal breast stuffed with spinach folded into a white roux sauce and sour cream, sewn closed and roasted until golden and tender.
Pork loin chops braised with onion, carrot, parsley root, and celery root in white wine, then finished with a strained sour cream sauce.
A smooth purée of boiled green lettuce and potato, enriched with butter and sour cream, served warm as a side dish with meat.
Whole blackberries preserved in a light clove-infused sugar syrup, sealed in jars using a modern boiling water bath method.
Thin crepes filled with braised, ground veal and onion, topped with a paprika-infused sour cream sauce and baked until golden.
Small toasted bread sandwiches filled with buttery seasoned spinach, dipped in egg, and pan-fried until golden on both sides.
A smooth spread of pureed herring folded into whipped butter, served on small canapés with grated cheese and paprika.
Layers of sliced hard-boiled eggs and grated cheese topped with sautéed mushrooms, baked under a rich egg-enriched sour cream topping.
A rich canapé spread of ground Emmental cheese and butter, enriched with sardines, anchovy paste, mustard, and grated onion.
A whole head of tender boiled cauliflower coated in a rich egg-enriched cheese béchamel, topped with breadcrumbs and baked until golden.
Coarsely grated potatoes tossed with oil and salt, baked until golden brown — a simple appetizer to serve before the main meal.
Rich beef bone broth simmered with golden pan-fried dumplings stuffed with seasoned ground beef, finished with a light roux and fresh lemon juice.
Small lemon-scented cookies made with lard and egg yolk, indented in the center, coated in whipped egg white, and rolled in sugar and chopped almonds.
A hearty soup of leek, spinach, and aged sheep's cheese, thickened with a paprika roux and finished with carefully tempered eggs.
Blanched cucumber rounds gently simmered in a pale butter-and-flour roux sauce made with milk and a touch of nutmeg.
A large sheet of seasoned ground chicken wrapped around a chicken liver, onion, and egg filling, pan-fried, oven-finished, and sliced into rounds.
Firm yeast dough triangles rolled around a savory ham, egg, and butter filling, shaped into small crescent-like rolls and baked golden.
Rehydrated dried mushrooms combined with diced cooked chicken and anchovy, bound in mayonnaise, molded on a plate, and coated in more mayonnaise.
Whole potatoes hollowed out, stuffed with a veal and cured pork filling bound with egg and bread, baked until tender, and served with tomato sauce.
A rich bone broth made from pork, veal, and beef bones, built on caramelized root vegetables and finished with a sour cream thickening and a splash of vinegar.
A rich pureed frog broth with tomato and aromatic vegetables, used as the cooking base for a deeply flavored Central European risotto.
Tender yeast rolls enriched with sour cream and egg yolks, filled with a sweet walnut paste. A rich Central European pastry.
Soft yeasted dumplings filled with pitted sour cherries, boiled and served with melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar.
A delicate seasonal mushroom soup thickened with a light roux, finished with egg yolk, sour cream, and a squeeze of lemon.
Rolled pancake ribbons layered in a mold, soaked in almond custard, and gently steamed into a silky, old-world pudding.
Tender boiled chicken pieces served over a rich, garlicky walnut sauce — a hearty Central European classic with deep, nutty flavor and satisfying weight.
Tender pan-fried fish steaks made with ground pike or perch, enriched with a classic panade sauce for a juicy, old-world texture.
A silky Central European mushroom sauce with white wine, zapraška roux, and sour cream — works equally well with fresh or dried mushrooms.
Whole partridge stuffed with black rice and liver, wrapped in bacon, then slow-roasted inside a hollowed cabbage head for deep, earthy flavor.
Young pigeons marinated for two days, larded with bacon, spit-roasted over a sardine-onion pan sauce, and finished with sour cream and lemon.
A sharp, emulsified cold sauce of mustard, white wine, capers, gherkin, and olive oil — a bold accompaniment to boiled fish, cold roasts, and aspic.
Slow-braised rabbit larded with bacon, finished in olive oil, white wine, lemon, garlic, and abundant parsley — a bold Dalmatian coast classic.
Tender veal steaks rolled sarma-style around a kale, tomato, and egg filling, pan-fried golden, then finished in a lemon-sour cream sauce.