Not your everyday potato

H

istory tells us (see story, page 28) that the potato was imported to Russia as “... a fashionable product for the table of his Imperial Majesty,” Peter the Great. But, as is often the case in Russia, the imported product was sadly misunderstood: locals used just the flowers or leaves of the potato in salads, pouring lemon juice over them. The root itself was ditched. 

This held until Prince Kurakin invited Catherine I (Peter’s wife) to lunch. Back then, it was very fashionable to have foreign chefs preside over a meal, to add more variety to the menu. In this instance, Kurakin’s new French chef served Catherine what seemed an odd foreign meal – a stuffed baked potato. The empress was surprised to find that this was the same potato, with no use being made of the flowers. Catherine heartily enjoyed the meal and, highly appreciative of the “innovation,” issued an order to the Master Chef at court:

“àÒÔÓθÁÓ‚‡Ú¸ Ò˲ ͇ÚÓÙÂÎ˲ — ÍÎÛ·ÌflÏË, ‡ Ì ˆ‚ÂÚ͇ÏË, ÌÂÔË„Ó‰Ì˚ÏË ‰Îfl  ‚ÓÚ‡ ̇¯Â„Ó”. (“To make use of the potato’s tuber, rather than the flower, which is unfit for our stomachs.” 

Since then, the potato has thoroughly invaded Russian cuisine. It is widely used in everything from soups to pies to salads to garnish. One particularly favored meal hearkens to Catherine’s first properly prepared potato meal with Prince Kurakin: kartofelnaya zapekanka. Lit-er-ally translated, it means “baked potato,” but this would be a misleading translation. “Baked potato” in Russian is actually “Á‡Ô˜fiÌ˚È Í‡ÚÓÙÂθ” (zapechyony kartofel). 

Zape-kan-ka, on the other hand, is a very special type of Russian meal. In fact, you can make a zapekanka out of most anything: cottage cheese (tvoroshnaya zapekanka), semolina (mannaya zapekanka) and even pasta. In the case of a potato zapekanka, it is usually baked in two layers with a filling—most typically fried, chopped meat, or, as in this recipe, mushrooms. 

ä‡ÚÓÙÂθ̇fl á‡ÔÂ͇Ì͇ • Kartofelnaya Zapekanka 

INGREDIENTS

3-4 medium baking potatoes (2 lbs.)

1 cup milk

10 tbsp. butter

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced (may be wild mushrooms or normal white champignons)

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

Dash of salt

1/4 cup fresh greens (fennel, parsley, dill, etc.)

1 egg, lightly beaten

Peel the potatoes and place them in a pan of water for boiling. Bring the water to a strong boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and add a dash salt, cooking slowly until the potatoes are well boiled.

Mash the potatoes, then mix in 8 tbsp (1/4 cup) of the butter and all of the milk. They should be the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Sauté the mushrooms and onion slowly in the remaining 2 tbsp of butter until lightly browned. Add in the greens just at the end.

Take half of the potato puree and spread as a layer in the bottom of a 2-quart baking pan. (You may also, if you prefer, prepare four smaller, individual zape-kankas in smaller round or rectangular baking dishes.) Layer on top of this the mushroom mixture, then the other half of the potatoes. Brush the top with the egg wash. 

Bake at 350o for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. 

Serves 4.

Recipe courtesy of Sudar Restaurant, Moscow.