Pyry z gzikiem
Photo: abnehmen.net · CC BY-SA 2.0

History

Pyry is the Greater Poland dialect word for potatoes; in Poznań it carries enough cultural weight that 'pyrlandia' is a colloquial name for the city itself. Gzik is the regional curd-cheese preparation, related to but distinct from the eastern-Polish twaróg. The dish is the canonical Greater Poland everyday lunch, served in milk bars, regional bistros and at Pyra Bar at fast-casual prices. The combination predates the partitions and is the city's clearest culinary link to its peasant Piast past.

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Warsaw

Guided tour · 3h 30m

Warsaw: Polish Food Tour

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Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 20 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg medium floury potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
  • Sea salt for the boiling water
  • 500g twaróg (Polish curd cheese), well drained
  • 200ml soured cream
  • 1 small white onion, very finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper
  • 500ml cold buttermilk (maślanka) to drink alongside

Method

  1. Place the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and add a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook 20 to 25 minutes until tender to a skewer.
  2. Crush the twaróg in a bowl with a fork until coarsely broken up.
  3. Stir in the soured cream, diced onion, chives and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Drain the potatoes and tip into a wide bowl with their skins on.
  5. Serve each diner two or three hot potatoes alongside a generous spoon of gzik. Diners split the potatoes open with a fork and scoop the gzik in.
  6. Pour buttermilk into tall glasses alongside; cold buttermilk and hot potatoes is the canonical combination.

Tip from the editors. Twaróg is the only correct cheese. If you cannot find it, well-drained quark or farmer's cheese works. Feta is too salty and ricotta is too mild.

Where to eat pyry z gzikiem

Pyry z gzikiem in Poznań

Pyra Bar ★ 4.0

$ Modern Polish

Pyra Bar on Strzelecka 13 in Poznań is the city's potato-bar canteen since 2009, with pyry z gzikiem, plendze and pyzy at sub-25 $ prices for the canonical.

TryPyry z gzikiem

TipThe lunch set with soup, main and a glass of buttermilk lands under 30 $; it is the city's best value on a regional plate.

Directions

Hyćka ★ 4.5

$$ Modern Polish

Srodka kitchen on Rynek Srodecki since 2014 from Sadowski couple; Wielkopolska classics: czernina, szare kluchy, namesake elderflower cordial.

Why locals goOn the Śródka side of the river, this Wielkopolska room is the city's most local regional kitchen but tourists rarely cross from Stary Rynek to find it.

TipBook by phone a day ahead and ask for the small room upstairs.

Directions

Podkoziołek ★ 3.9

$$ Greater Poland RegionalStary Rynek

Podkoziołek on Stary Rynek in Poznań is a Wielkopolska restaurant opposite the Koziołki, with handmade pierogi, plendze, czernina and golonka in a vaulted.

OrderPlendze (Greater Poland potato pancakes) with mushroom sauce.

TipTime your visit to 12:00 to catch the Koziołki, the mechanical goats above the town hall, butting heads.

Directions

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