Pyzy, Flaki Gorace! ★ 4.3
Pyzy, Flaki Gorace! in Warsaw's Praga district keeps the late-evening hot-food slot open to 22:00 with pyzy in jam jars and flaki tripe soup on the side.
Try: Pyzy with mushroom gravy, flaki
History
Flaki po warszawsku is the city's claim on the wider Polish flaki tripe tradition, which appears in cookbook records from the 14th century. The Warsaw version is distinguished by its marjoram-paprika flavour profile and a final grating of parmesan or hard cheese over the bowl. The dish became canonical at Pyzy, Flaki Gorace and the milk-bar zupa boards through the 20th century, and is the cheapest hot lunch in the city.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1kg pre-cleaned beef tripe (honeycomb)
- 500g beef shin on the bone
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 1 parsnip, finely diced
- 100g celeriac, finely diced
- 1 leek, white and pale green only, finely sliced
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 60g butter
- 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 bay leaf, 6 black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 100g grated Parmesan or hard yellow cheese to serve
- Salt and white pepper
Method
- Rinse the tripe thoroughly, place in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil and discard the water. Repeat once more.
- Place the tripe and beef shin in a stockpot with 3L cold water, a bay leaf and the peppercorns. Simmer 2.5 hours until the tripe is tender.
- Lift the tripe out, drain, and slice into 5mm strips. Strip meat from the bone and dice. Strain and reserve 2L of the broth.
- Soften the diced onion in butter over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the carrot, parsnip, celeriac and leek. Cook 8 minutes.
- Stir in the paprika, marjoram, ginger and allspice off the heat.
- Return to medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over and cook 2 minutes.
- Pour in the reserved broth slowly, whisking. Add the sliced tripe and diced shin meat. Simmer 30 minutes.
- Season with salt and white pepper. Ladle into bowls and finish each with a generous grating of cheese.
Tip from the editors. Pre-cleaned honeycomb tripe is essential; the cleaning is unpleasant for home cooks. Find at a Polish butcher or French boucherie.
Where to eat flaki po warszawsku
Flaki po warszawsku in Warsaw
Bar Mleczny Prasowy ★ 4.5
Bar Prasowy in Warsaw is the milk bar that fed central Marszalkowska since 1954. Pierogi for under 15 zl, zurek for 8, kotlet schabowy with sides.
Try: Pierogi ruskie, kotlet schabowy, zurek
Restauracja Polka ★ 4.2
Magda Gessler's Polka in Warsaw is the Old Town home-cooking room: seven flower-painted dining rooms in a Renaissance tenement, heavy curtains.
Signature: Bigos, Hand-rolled pierogi, Placki ziemniaczane
Order: The bigos plate, hand-rolled pierogi, and a Polmos vodka shot.
Tip: Touristy but earns it; ask for the back room, not the streetside seats.
Stary Dom ★ 4.3
Stary Dom in Warsaw is the white-tablecloth Polish steak room of leafy Mokotow. Led by chef House team. Tasting menu 200-350 zl. Book 1 week ahead.
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