Best Family Favorite Czech Recipes

Welcome to my favorite Czech Recipes page. I created this recipe site with the intention of sharing my family’s favorite Czech recipes to all browsers of this site. These recipes go back numerous generations and I am sure a few of these recipes have even been tweaked here and there along the way. These dishes bring back fond memories of family gatherings at my Teta’s summer home, as well as large dinners at Babi’s (Grandmother’s) house. These Czech recipes have established a label of “comfort food” in our home and have enjoyed sharing these meals with good friends, not to mention a cold pilsner. It is true I really enjoyed these dishes when I was a young boy. My Czech ancestry was inherited from my father who is 100% Czechoslovak. When they were newlyweds, Dad had no problem persuading my mom (of German and French ancestry) the wonders and fulfillment of this rich hearty eastern European food. My mother caught onto these dishes right away having a history of preparing German food. As m...

A few weeks ago, my wife pinned from Czechinthekitchen website, this “ Fleky ”or Czech ham and egg noodle casserole recipe and gave it a try. I do recall eating this dish as a young child that was prepared by my mother or grandmother. Whom actually prepared the dish, I do not recall.  It is only until now I have been re-introduced to this Czech comfort food dish.  I refer to Fleky as eastern European comfort food because low cost hearty meals typically involve eggs, noodles, or mushrooms or a combination of all those. The beauty of this recipe is that it is so cheap to make and often only requires use of minimal ingredients that most may already have on hand (egg noodles, milk, eggs, and ham or bacon). This is also a great dish to make in a pinch because the prep time for this authentic Czech dish is minimal compared to other meals such as Svickova, Koprova, Chicken Paprika, etc. Unlike many casseroles, the appearance of the completely baked Fleky is attractive as the eg...

A great savory Czech appetizer or even main course are mushrooms. A commonly served mushroom dish is Smazene zampiony or fried mushrooms. These tasty little  nuggets pair nicely with a cold pilsner or even a glass of wine. As much as I enjoy tasting deep fried foods, I am not a big fan of the deep frying process in the kitchen given the potential mess involved. Also, if I am going to break out the deep fryer or iron skillet for frying, I will usually have several deep fried items in mind to make the effort worth the clean up. For example, if I deep fry mushrooms, I will also consider coating and frying up some zucchini, cauliflower, and even cheese. (Please check out my other post on Czech fried cheese). When deep frying appetizers or even chicken, I prefer to cook with my fry daddy kept in the garage. I will set up a portable table and fry away in my garage which keeps the odor of the oil out of the home. Fried mushrooms are a hit in my home and these go nicely with a sauce acc...

Krizaly before baking Doing some research across various message boards and recipes sites (of which some were translated from Czech); I found numerous methods to prepare dried apples. This dried fruit is a popular snack in the Czech Republic. There are many benefits to dried apples. They are healthy, lightweight, provide energy boost, and are an excellent way to preserve apples that might be on their way out or getting soft. I like to add dried apples to hot cereals or incorporate into dumplings. Homemade dried apples are also a heck of a lot cheaper than buying them packaged in the dried state. I enjoyed digging away on this topic as some websites showed the apples being dried next to a furnace or tented alongside a radiator for a couple of days! If I had radiators throughout my home, I think I would give this method a try. My furnace is enclosed in a very dusty room with too many spiders to count, so I decided to pass on that approach and dried the apples using the electric oven...

Cooler weather and football games kicking into full gear made the weekend dinner menu an easy one. Our Sunday evening meal consisted of a large pot of homemade chili. The responsibility of preparing chili in our home is alternated between my wife and me.  As most of my Sunday was consumed with yard work, chili production fell into her hands for the day. While we both stick to similar recipes, my wife goes down a milder path that produces a tasty batch yet without the influence of chili or jalapeno peppers. In preparing our meal, I added my own last minute heat by chopping up some jalapeno peppers picked straight out of my garden. I diced these peppers fine and put them in a side dish that served my own personal chili topping. To say these peppers were hot would be an understatement.  The level of heat or scoville units of a jalapeno can be misleading. I have tried some jalapenos that were mild as a cubanelle or poblano on one extreme, and then had some be as fiery as a ca...

It is unfortunate that most of my garden produce is coming to a halt as the growing season is ending. The tomatoes, corn, cucumbers and zucchini have run their course with only the broccoli and peppers remaining.  On that note, there were four robust size peppers that were recently picked along with a few jalapenos. As we did not plan on using these peppers anytime soon, I decided it would be best prepare them for freezer storage for later use.  In prior years, we keep a bag of frozen peppers available for soups, stews, pizzas, and chili. Even if they aren’t home grown, it is good to stock up on them when they go on sale at the store during peak season. Since these peppers are going into cooked dishes, they require a blanching process which is very simple. Blanching is an extreme hot water/cold water shock to the food that allows for flavor and appearance to remain preserved when the item is store in frozen state. I have done blanching with not only peppers, but also br...

Yesterday I decided to get my barbecue fix on. It has been a long time since I prepared a batch of spare ribs and Saturday was definitely the day.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to prepare a decent rack of ribs off the grill. Just know the proper steps of trimming the silver skin and excess fat, preparing the ribs for pre-baking, then finally, grilling. Step number one was to remove the silver skin from the back of the rack. The silver skin is that thin opaque or sometimes white but firm elastic film that covers pretty much the entire back of the rack of bones. I highly recommend a boning or filet knife to do the job. I had neither of those cutlery items, so I had to use one of my smaller chef’s knives that made the task rather cumbersome as it is not as flexible as the other knives. Basically start on one side of the rack and pry the knife edge under the skin, and work to peel the skin off using the assistance of the knife to try and get large sheets of this skin off...

Broccoli finally arrived in my garden and I have cut three to four bunches for meals later in the year. I like to eat a handful and freeze the rest. Preparing broccoli for later use or freezing is pretty simple. Typically I prepare my cut veggies like beans and broccoli by blanching in hot water bath then transferring to a cold water shock, then into the freezer. However, time has seemed to have got away from me this past week.  My veggies were cut a few days ago and their time spent in the crisper was just about up. (My cut broccoli was going on day three of refrigeration). As I got home last night to a very warm home courtesy of our current heat wave, I decided to forgo the traditional stove top blanch technique and  opted to steam the broccoli or as I call it, “microwave blanching” or steaming. I basically precooked the broccoli in a microwave safe container. I placed the small portion of broccoli in a microwave safe dish and placed a few teaspoons of water in the di...

Allow me to intoduce a family favorite recipe that brings back many fond memories of waking up to the smell of baked apples, pancake batter, and bacon on occasional sunday mornings in the late fall and early winter. Restaurants and households that I have visited all seemed to have done a pretty decent job of creating the Apfel Pfannekuchen, but this home recipe seems to take the cake. Yes, that pun was intended. I like the flavor and texture of the german apple pancake as it seems to be a "culinary mixer" in which custard meets bread pudding who in turn meet french toast with baked apples. Please give this one a try next time you want to create a fun breakfast for family or guests. The recipe is ideal to prepare right now as apple harvest season is upon us. The beauty of this recipe is that the batter can be prepared the night before and refrigerated prior to the next morning's use. I also highly recommend a crisp tart apple such as a granny smith to offset the sweetne...

A few weeks back, I had a desire to make a sour dough starter to initiate my own homemade bohemian rye bread.   As mentioned in previous posts, this experiment has failed for a few reasons, so I went to option number two – using dry yeast. I scoured the internet in pursuit of Bohemian rye bread recipes and found one here at cooks.com. I was disheartened that there weren’t any pictures nor testimonials next to this recipe, but the recipe appeared to be easy to follow and used a combination of rye flour and all purpose flour.   Since I was a young child, I enjoyed a good Czech or German rye bread at restaurants and have been in pursuit of trying to imitate some of those good table breads. I like Bohemian rye bread because it is lighter in appearance and density (not too heavy on the rye grains) and it works well as pre-meal offering and partners well with soups or with assorted meats and cheeses.   This rye bread recipe I found adds in the European accent of caraway and...

One of my latest endeavors currently is preparing a Czech rye bread. There are so many variations of how to make a rye bread that it gets really confusing on which one is the appropriate method. One common theme I am realizing while I research via the web is that the rye flour in the states is much different than those sold in Europe. The rye flour here in the states is much coarser and produces a tougher texture than the smooth rye found in the Czech Republic. I have not begun my search yet for rye flours but will maybe have to suffice with what is available at the local store if I cannot find any refined rye flour. So, the first step in preparing rye dough is by making a starter. Many recipes prefer that the rye bread is made with a starter as opposed to using quick or instant yeast. The "starter" process is basically growing your own yeast /bacteria culture by mixing flour with water and covering it. Throughout the next seven days or  more, the yeast will become activ...

Some of my favorite after dinner Czech treats are kolacky.   There are hundreds of kolacky recipes out there, but I still stick with this simple one, especially when I am worried about having time to prepare other items be it dinner or other holiday bakery such as a houska/vanocka. Most kolacky recipes you will find do not use cream cheese in the dough; which is one of my favorite ingredients in this recipe. The rich cheese dough tastes delicious aside from the fruit filling. I have posted a raspberry recipe on this site before and I just recently prepared a batch of apricot kolacky. For the filling, just about any apricot fruit filling will work whether using Solo filling, preserves, or jam. The recipe is a family keeper and I even enjoy one or two of these for a quick breakfast. Fruit Filled Kolacky 1 Cup All Purpose Flour 1 Stick Butter, softened 3/8 Cup Cream Cheese, softened ¼ cup sugar Apricot Fruit Filling (Jam, Preserves, or Canned Pastry Fillin...

Whether hosting a large backyard cookout with friends or having a low key Sunday family grill out, chances are if you are cooking a large batch of bratwurst, one will most likely have leftovers. Typically, leftover grilled meats are usually served up the second time in a same manner as the initial offering. In other words, leftover sausages and hot dogs are most often micro waved the next day for lunch or dinner and eaten in a bun with condiments on top. Been there, done that. Then there are those times when the party will provide a bounty of extra bratwurst in which a little creativity and imagination are required especially if there are no longer any more buns or you are tired of the condiments. Here are some creative ways to use up Bratwurst without eating them in their typical setting. Bratwurst and Pasta There are numerous ways to prepare bratwurst with the aid of pasta. Dishes can be a simple as sautéing cut up brats, peppers, onions, garlic, and tomatoes in a little olive...

So this past Sunday for dinner, I decided to prepare the usual grilled burgers, but this time with a twist. I decided to make   hamburger buns from scratch. A lot of time is spent making the perfect patty and having the right condiments, it made sense to develop a really tasty bun. I don’t have a family recipe for homemade sandwich buns, so I proceeded to search the web and found a recipe here . The ingredients list are short and simple. The recipe yields eight decent sized buns which is perfect since that is the typical count in a store bought package of buns. The recipe was fairly easy to follow using nothing more than yeast, sugar, all purpose flour, and some liquid (milk, oil, egg). The dough was easy to mix and knead with prep time taking a few hours. I productively use the time (between kneading and rising) to do some overdue backyard work and play with the kids. After the dough had risen, and was separated into balls to rise again, I baked them with a l...

One of my favorite treats in the summer is a DQ moolatte. This after dinner treat is pure bliss. Nothing beats the rich combined flavors of coffee, ice cream, chocolate, and whatever additional flavors whether caramel, hazelnut, vanilla or cappuccino. I am a big fan of the mocha flavor as nothing compares to the combination of chocolate and coffee. The early evening trip to DQ for a moolatte is certain to put a smile on my face, but can also prove to be a dent in the wallet, especially when ordering for others in the group. I have my own recipe that I came up with for making a homemade moolatte that tastes as good as the real thing and is much cheaper considering our local DQ charges about $3.50 per serving. Preparing a moolatte does not take a huge amount of effort. There is no need for any major ice cream shop appliances such as soft serve machines, etc. All you need is a good hearty blender and some other common ingredients that aren’t too costly. The recipe typically calls for a ...

In my kitchen I have one of those small black Krups electric coffee grinders that I love to use every morning. I have had this gadget for about twelve years as it was a Christmas present from my parents. There is some definite satisfaction to the whirling sound and pulse of grinding up the beans to begin the day. I also enjoy the pleasant aroma produced by grinding up coffee beans. I believe this gadget seems too limited to be used strictly for coffee beans. There are a number of practical items that this device can safely chop and grind before reaching for other gadgets. I understand a bean grinder was designed for coffee beans only and coffee purists will tell you so. There are those times though when laziness sets in and you can get by using a coffee grinder to grind up many other items without having to reach for the bulky food processor or blender. As long as the grinder is wiped clean of debris before and after each use, it should do a great job of grinding and not cross contamin...

Some of the best recipes found within Czechoslovak, Polish or any Eastern European cuisine are established amongst pastries and breads. Aside from indulging in a deliciously popular Czech treats of kolacky or bublanina , there are other tasty breads and desserts to try out. One delicious Slovak treat I remember well is the filled sweet bun called buchty. These buns can be found in most Slovak and Czech restaurants or bakeries. I remember this treat as a child as the sweet yeast raised buns had a glossy finish with a filling consisting of fruit jams or a danish like cheese with raisins or poppy seeds. The trick to making these desserts is to adequately knead the dough and using a fruit or cheese filling that is thick enough to avoid seepage during the baking process. I was unfortunate in my own family recipe search to locate a buchty recipe. I was able to find several rather tasty recipes on the internet to share right here on this blog.   As I have reviewed these, they all ap...

Syr Smezany or fried cheese a very popular dish often served up as a meal in itself or as a common appetizer at a tavern or by a street vendor. The recipe is simple as the ingredients list is short as is the price. This recipe will also be a sure fire way to win over some younger diners at the table as most kids will connect this dish to cheese sticks. The form of Czech fried cheese though takes on a rectangular shape. Czech Fried Cheese Recipe Serves 2 4 slices Edam, Gouda or Swiss Cheese ½”” thick 1/3 cup all purpose flour 1 large egg, beaten ¾ cup breadcrumbs 1 cup vegetable oil Salt and Pepper to taste Method 1.        Establish assembly line that consist of flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs all on separate plates and all in that order. 2.        Heat oil to 375 degrees in skillet or fryer 3.        Dredge cheese in flour, then submerse in egg, and roll into breadcrumbs. ...

One of my treasured czech meals is bohemian style roasted duck. I usually get this meal onc a year if I am lucky. I typically have to order it at a czech restaurant or prepare it for myself while the rest of the family enjoy roast chicken or pork. Their disdain for eating duck is primarily attributed to their appreciation of these little fussy waddlers observed at the petting zoo or at the local parks swimming happily down the river. Somehow and someway, my view of duck has pushed me past the cute fuzzy image more in favor of the tasty Sunday roast that is served with homemade dumplings, sauce, and a braised cabbage dish. Just about every grocery store will carry duck in the frozen poultry section; if you can get one fresh, all the better! The bird usually weighs no more than five pounds and offers up between three to four servings. I have seen the price range for a five pound duck range anywhere between eleven to twenty bucks for a roaster; a fresh one most likely costing a bit more. ...

We had the fortune of inheriting an old butcher block that previously belonged to my grandparents. This 200 pound plus monstrosity had become a fixture in the garage for the past five years and we finally decided to clean it up so we could use it in the kitchen. While the block is structurally in great shape, it was in dire need of some intense clean up and restoration. The makeover process all started with a bucket of hot sudsy water with a tad of bleach. We gave the block a good wipe down from top to bottom. The block had numerous stains, blemishes and cobwebs stuck to it so this bucket cleaning was first in order. We even cleaned the wheels on the bottom of the legs. The next process was to allow the block to dry in the sun for a few hours before we prepared the finish sander. We used the orbital sanders and began the process with an 80 grit sheet which is pretty abrasive but capable of removing years of debris, old oils, and nicks. After we sanded down the surface to our satis...