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.

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.

Try: Pyry z gzikiem

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

ul. Strzelecka 13, 61-845 Poznań

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 love it: On 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.

Tip: Book by phone a day ahead and ask for the small room upstairs.

Rynek Śródecki 17, 60-653 Poznań

Podkoziołek ★ 3.9

Greater Poland Regional$$stary-rynek

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

Signature: Plendze, Pierogi, Golonka

Order: Plendze (Greater Poland potato pancakes) with mushroom sauce.

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

Stary Rynek, 61-772 Poznań

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