I am a true American. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s in Northern Wisconsin, not only did our family feel like some of the only Mexican blood around, we also were graced with a long Polish last name that my dad brought to the Northwoods from Stevens Point. No one in the predominately Scandinavian north could pronounce it. I went to Kindergarten with one of the longest names in my class, and could proudly spell it from a very early age. It wasn’t until I moved to Milwaukee that my last name fit right in, and that nearly everyone who saw it in print could pronounce it!
Those years of my youth were idyllic and I love to look back on them. We were very close to our extended family, and our Mexican and Polish traditions kind of blended together with true Americaness. My great-grandparents lived in Chicago all winter, but came “up to the cottage” as soon as the snow melted. My great-grandma had an accent, and spoke in Polish to my great-grandfather who spoke such broken English that I had a hard time understanding him. What needed no words was the importance of food in their home. It was simple food, but it was shared with everyone who entered.
Nana Laura was a frugal cook that I can still see clearly in my mind’s eye. I see her in her apron, standing in her small, spotless kitchen and I still can taste vividly the deep spoonfuls of split pea soup, lacy crepes filled with sweetened cheese and pan fried in butter, and Paczki – jam filled doughnuts sparkling in granulated sugar and as fluffy as pillows.
Last week when I was reading about a Paczki-eating contest in Evanston, I got to thinking more about these doughnuts I remembered from my childhood. In Poland, paczki is traditionally eaten the Thursday prior to Ash Wednesday, but as the tradition moved to America, it became more popular to eat them on the Tuesday prior. Shrove (Pancake) Tuesday or “Fat” Tuesday is the last day before many Christians adopt a more restrictive diet reflecting the contemplative nature of the 40 day Lenten season. It has become a good day for excess, and the day to use up good amounts of fat and sugar before being more respectful and mindful of consumption. I discovered that paczki are found in many countries and called by different names throughout Eastern Europe and even into Russia. They are also closely related to soufganioth (“ponchkes”, according to one Jewish food source), jam-filled, fried doughnuts eaten by Jews during Hanukkah. It even appears that Polish Jews exported the idea of paczki to Israel!
While traditional paczki are fried, I do not fry unless absolutely necessary in my hood-free kitchen. Instead I baked these doughnuts, which will hopefully their keeping power extend just slightly. Like most doughnutty things, it’s no secret that these taste best directly out of the oven. The original recipe included an extra rising, which in the interest of time I decided to omit. If you want extra fluffy paczki, definitely include the extra rising. A strong arm can mix this batter with a wooden spoon, but I used a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Baked Paczki (adapted from Eastern European Food)
Makes three dozen 3-inch doughnuts
1 1/2 c. warm milk (110 degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast (4 ½ t.)
1/2 c. sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 T. brandy or rum
1 t. salt
4 1/2 to 5 c. all-purpose flour
a few T. of butter, melted
1 c. or so of granulated sugar for dipping the tops
Heat the milk to warm, remove from heat and add yeast. Set aside to proof for a few minutes when you begin the batter.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend the butter with the sugar until lightened and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolks, the brandy or rum and the salt and mix to combine well, scraping down the sides if needed.
Add 4 1/2 c. of flour alternating with the milk/yeast mixture. (Begin and end with the flour.) The dough will be very “slack”, or lacking in form, and quite sticky. Add up to 1/2 c. more flour if it seems unreasonably sticky, but don’t add any more than that. It will be surprisingly easy to work with after it rises. Using a spatula, transfer the dough to a greased bowl and leave to rise until doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
(If you want to and have the time, punch down the dough, and let rise a second time until doubled in bulk again.)
On a large, heavily floured cloth, use the spatula again to turn out the dough into one large mass. Using floured hands, press the dough into a rough rectangle, then using a rolling pin, roll the dough gently into a uniform 1/2 – 3/4 inch thickness. Cut rounds using a 3-inch cutter, and transfer to parchment lined baking sheets. Re-roll any scraps gently, and cut again. These scraps actually re-roll well.
Preheat oven to 375. Let the paczki rise until they double, about 30-45 minutes, then bake 10 minutes until golden brown, rotating pans halfway through the baking time. (As the oven is opened and closed a few times, it may take a few extra minutes on additional batches to bake.) As soon as they come out of the oven, brush the tops with a little melted butter, and dip them into a bowl of granulated sugar to coat. Work quickly, brushing a few at a time and sugar coating them just after. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Eat immediately and frequently, and have friends ready to give some to.
You can have the option of filling the paczki with jam, which is traditional. I filled a couple just for fun, using some strawberry-guajillo jam from last summer to give a nod to my Mexican side. Fill them by inserting a squeeze bottle of jam thinned with a little water into their sides, or the bottom, preferably when still quite warm. There are plenty of them to practice on, and you’ll quickly find the best method. And even without the jam, they are perfectly delicious.
I wish I could say that these taste exactly as I remember them, but they don’t. It could be because my Nana fried them, and it could be because she made them in a little cottage in the woods when I was 6 years old. They are still wonderful and very worthy of Paczki Day, and even if that isn’t until tomorrow I’m sure you won’t mind me confessing that I already ate 4 of them. I can’t say for certain that I won’t eat several more, too. If I do, I’ll be sure to be more mindful of my sugar consumption come Wednesday, and for the following 40 days.
