Potatoes with Gzik (regional lunch) - photo 1
← Recipes

Potatoes with Gzik (regional lunch)

Pikantne Regional Cuisine of Poland Main Dishes 30 min Easy 20 wyświetleń ~18.86 PLN - (0)
Rate:
(0)
Start Cooking

Description

Potatoes with gzik is a classic, hearty dish from Polish cuisine — simple, homemade, and warming. Gzik is fresh twaróg (semi-fat cheese) mixed with buttermilk or cream, chopped chives, and garlic; served with hot, freshly boiled potatoes and melted butter. The dish has a pleasant contrast of temperatures: hot, soft potatoes and cool, creamy gzik with distinct curds. Regional twist: optional crispy roasted buckwheat and/or sizzling bacon add texture and a hint of smoky-salty flavor. Perfect for a simple lunch, dinner after work, or as part of an Easter breakfast — serve with pickled cucumber or cabbage salad for extra acidity.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (11)

Servings:
4
  • Potatoes 5.3 szt.
  • Semi-fat cottage cheese 200 g
  • Buttermilk 150 g
  • Butter 30 g
  • Garlic 2 ząbki
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Chives 0.3 pęczków
  • Salt 6 g
  • Black pepper 4 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Pickled cucumber (optional) 150 g
  • Toasted buckwheat (optional, sprinkle) 30 g
  • Smoked bacon 100 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~18.86 PLN (4.72 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Potatoes

1

Prepare the potatoes: if they are young and nice, scrub them thoroughly with a brush under running water and leave the skin on. For older potatoes, peel them with a peeler and cut them into even pieces (leave small ones whole, cut larger ones in half or quarters) — this will ensure they cook evenly. Place the potatoes in a large pot (minimum capacity 3-4 l) and cover with cold water about 2 cm above the layer of potatoes.

Ingredients: Potatoes
Use a large pot so the potatoes have space — cooking them in a too small pot will cause them to cook unevenly. If you don't have a brush, peel a thin layer of skin with a knife.
2

Add 4 g of salt (about 1 level teaspoon) to the pot, cover it, and set to medium heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat so that the water is gently simmering. Cook the potatoes for 18–25 minutes depending on the size of the pieces: small ones will be ready after 18 minutes, larger ones after 22–25. Check with a fork — the potato is done when the fork goes in smoothly and the potato is soft inside (without any hard centers).

Ingredients: Potatoes, Salt
Use a fork or knife to check for tenderness — if the fork goes in easily, they are ready. Do not overcook (they will fall apart) or undercook (they will be hard).

Gzik

3

Prepare the gzik: transfer the semi-fat cottage cheese to a medium bowl. Crumble it with a fork or your hand into small chunks — do not blend into a smooth mass: the gzik should have visible pieces of cottage cheese. Pour 100 ml of buttermilk into the cottage cheese and mix with a fork to achieve a creamy consistency. If the mixture is too dry, add buttermilk in 10 ml increments until you achieve a thick but pourable gzik (the consistency should resemble thick yogurt with visible chunks of cottage cheese).

Ingredients: Semi-fat cottage cheese, Buttermilk
Use a fork or potato masher to achieve a chunky texture — a mixer will make the cheese too uniform. If you prefer a richer flavor, replace part of the buttermilk with 12–18% cream.
4

Add finely chopped chives (bunch: chop 30 g on a cutting board with a sharp knife), garlic pressed through a garlic press or finely crushed (10 g — 2 cloves), 2 g of freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of salt to taste to the gzik. Mix thoroughly with a fork: the gzik should be aromatic, with distinct pieces of cheese and green chives.

Ingredients: Chives, Garlic, Salt, Black pepper
Chop the chives very finely — longer pieces will be a nuisance while eating. If you don't like strong garlic, use 1 clove or grate it on a fine grater.

Butter

5

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat: keep the saucepan close to the fire and wait for the butter to melt and start to foam slightly (3–4 minutes). Do not let it brown too much — you want clarified butter with a delicate nutty note, but without burning. Remove from heat immediately.

Ingredients: Butter
Use a small saucepan or a skillet with a diameter of 16–18 cm. If you want a more intense flavor, let the butter brown slightly (be careful not to burn it).

Optional additions

6

If you are using bacon: cut 100 g of bacon into small cubes and fry in a medium pan without added fat for 6–8 minutes, until golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel. If you are using roasted buckwheat: toast 30 g of buckwheat in a dry pan for 3–4 minutes, until it becomes fragrant and crispy. Dice the pickled cucumber (150 g) and drain excess juice.

Ingredients: Smoked bacon, Pickled cucumber (optional), Toasted buckwheat (optional, sprinkle)
Do not add oil for frying the bacon — the bacon will render its own fat. Toast the groats over medium heat and stir everything to prevent burning.

Assembly and serving

7

Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander and set aside for a moment to let the steam evaporate slightly (1–2 minutes). Arrange the hot potatoes on plates. On each plate, place 50 g of gzik (you can use a spoon) so that the gzik touches the hot potato — the heat will slightly warm the gzik but not melt it. Drizzle the potatoes with melted butter (about 7–8 g of butter per serving). Sprinkle with chopped chives and freshly ground pepper. Additionally, you can sprinkle with crispy buckwheat or add pieces of crispy bacon and a pickled cucumber on the side as a contrasting addition.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Semi-fat cottage cheese, Buttermilk, Butter, Chives, Black pepper, Smoked bacon, Pickled cucumber (optional), Toasted buckwheat (optional, sprinkle)
Use a large spoon to scoop the gzika and a small teaspoon to drizzle the butter. Make sure the potatoes are hot — then the butter will melt and combine with the gzika, creating a pleasant moisture.

Additional tips

8

Serve immediately — potatoes taste best fresh and hot. Pickled cucumbers, cabbage salad, pickled peppers, or compote made from dried plums are great side dishes. If you're preparing a portion for later, remember not to mix the gzika with the potatoes beforehand, as the cheese will become too watery.

If you want a vegan version: replace the cottage cheese with thick tofu crumbled with a bit of lemon juice and plant-based yogurt instead of buttermilk. Omit the bacon or use smoked tempeh.

Fun Fact

💡

Gzik is a typical addition from Greater Poland and Poznań to potatoes — its name probably comes from the characteristic "gzić," which means to rustle/crumble the cottage cheese. In the past, gzik was a basic, simple peasant dish served with young potatoes and onions.

Best for

Prosty obiad domowy Kolacja po pracy Śniadanie wielkanocne (regionalny akcent)

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the potatoes with gzikiem hot, immediately after preparation. Accompany with high-acidity additions (pickled cucumber, sour salad) and a crunchy topping (toasted buckwheat or sizzling bacon) — the contrast of temperature and texture enhances the flavor experience. A suitable drink is apple compote or mint infusion.

🥡 Storage

Store the gzika separately in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Keep cooked potatoes in the fridge for up to 24 hours; reheat in the microwave or on a skillet with a little butter to regain moisture. Long-term freezing of gzika is not recommended (it changes the texture of the cheese).

📸 Ugotowane przez społeczność

Zaloguj się, aby dodać zdjęcie
Dodaj zdjęcie gotowej potrawy

Po zatwierdzeniu przez moderatora otrzymasz 10 punktów doświadczenia.

🍲

Nikt jeszcze nie dodał zdjęcia. Bądź pierwszy!

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment on this recipe!

Add a comment

You might also like

Country dessert: dumplings made of buckwheat and cottage cheese with plum filling, roasted beetroot mousse, and toasted spelt 90 min

Country dessert: dumplings made of buckwhe...

Desserts
Roasted Cauliflower Rose in Miso-Citrus Glaze with Celery Purée and Kale Chips 90 min

Roasted Cauliflower Rose in Miso-Citrus Gl...

Main Dishes
Creamy Baked Gnocchi with Roasted Pumpkin, Spinach, and Sage 90 min

Creamy Baked Gnocchi with Roasted Pumpkin,...

Vegetarian Dishes
Roast duck in Greater Poland style with apples and cranberries, served with red cabbage and Silesian dumplings 180 min

Roast duck in Greater Poland style with ap...

Regional Cuisine of Poland
Roast Duck Kujawy Style with Red Cabbage and Silesian Dumplings 150 min

Roast Duck Kujawy Style with Red Cabbage a...

Regional Cuisine of Poland
Ruby pierogi with roasted beetroot and cottage cheese with dill sauce 120 min

Ruby pierogi with roasted beetroot and cot...

Regional Cuisine of Poland

Recipe Categories

Regional Cuisine of Poland
Regional Cuisine of Poland

Traditional recipes from various regions of Poland that showcase the richness of local flavors and ingredients.

See all recipes in this category
Main Dishes
Main Dishes in: Valentine's Day

Exquisite main dishes that will delight with their flavor and aroma, perfect for a romantic dinner.

See all recipes in this category
Reklama