Štuka So Smotankou A S Krumplami
"Pike With Cream And Potatoes"
From the treasured pages of Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči
Unknown Author
Štuka So Smotankou A S Krumplami
"Poneváč sa niektoré ryby pre svoju veľkosť neupotrebia naraz, z pozostałych kusov môže sa vždy iné a pri tom celkom čerstvé jedlo pripraviť, jaké je i toto. Z drobných kûskov štuky poodberá sa mäso od osti, drobno posekaná cibuľa užiari sa v maslê, ktoré sa potom po celom dne mysy roztrie, naň sa dá pár ližic smotanky, na to prindů na križalky pokrájané krumple a prichystaná ryba, poleje sa maslom, obsype sa žemľovými omrvinkami, posolí sa a tak sa pokračuje jedno za druhým až do vrchu mysy; všetko sa poriadne ukladá, aby malo svoju formu, po celom sa poleje smotanka, maslom sa omastí, žemľovými omrvinkami sa posype, na plech alebo tepšů dá sa popola a na to mysa a v rûre sa upečie na žito, pri nastolovaní ale mysa sa čisto poutiera. Táto príprava môže sa dať i do okrûhlej furmy, ktorá sa maslom omastí, omrvinkami sa posype a tak sa celé upečie v pare alebo vo víne."
English Translation
"Since some fish cannot be used up at once due to their size, from the remaining pieces one can always prepare a different yet entirely fresh dish, such as this one. From the small pieces of pike, remove the meat from the bones, finely chop an onion and fry it in butter, then spread the butter all over the bottom of a dish. Add a few spoonfuls of cream, then sliced potatoes, and the prepared fish. Pour melted butter over, sprinkle with bread crumbs, add salt, and continue layering in this way up to the top of the dish; arrange everything neatly so it holds its shape. Pour cream over the whole, brush with butter, sprinkle with bread crumbs, place the dish on a baking tray with ashes and bake thoroughly in the oven; when serving, wipe the dish clean. This preparation can also be placed in a round mold greased with butter and sprinkled with bread crumbs, and it can be baked either in steam or in wine."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe, written in archaic Slovak, is typical of the period—rich in practical advice but short on precise measurements or detailed times. Spelling varies: 'krumple' for potatoes (modern: zemiaky), 'smotanka' for cream, 'myse' for bowl or dish (modern: misa), and 'žemľovými omrvinkami' for breadcrumbs. The instructions are presented sequentially, often as a continuous sentence, emphasizing order of assembly and layering. Baking is indicated 'na žito'—until fully cooked or golden. Such recipes expected the cook to rely on experience, visual cues, and familial knowledge rather than rigid timings and measurements. Nonetheless, the structure provides clear guidance for each critical step.
Title
Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči (1870)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1870
Publisher
Unknown
Background
An enchanting culinary treasure from the 19th century, this Slovak cookery book serves up a delightful array of recipes (recepty) to tempt the palate and inspire home chefs. A flavorful journey through time, it captures traditional tastes and kitchen wisdom with old-world charm.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe hails from an 1870 Slovak-language cookbook, a time when resourcefulness in the kitchen was both an economic and cultural virtue. Dishes like this—combining fish, dairy, and potatoes—reflect the Central European penchant for making the most of every ingredient, with flavors enriched by cream and butter. Pike was a popular freshwater fish, often found in rivers and lakes throughout the region, valued not only for festive occasions but also as a practical source of food. Kitchen wisdom dictated that nothing go to waste: if a fish was too large for a single meal, every usable scrap would be repurposed. This recipe exemplifies 19th-century home cooking—layered, substantial, and designed to be baked slowly in a family oven, then presented with pride on the table.
In the late 19th century, this recipe would have been prepared with a few reliable tools: a sharp knife for filleting and chopping, an iron skillet or small pot for sautéing onions in butter, and a deep earthenware or ceramic baking dish (mysa) for assembling the layered casserole. Breadcrumbs would be made by grating or pounding stale bread. To finish, the dish would be baked either directly in a wood-fired oven, or placed on a baking sheet (plech) or in a shallower pan (tepša) to ensure even baking. For the optional steamed or wine-baked version, a round mold (forma) would be greased, layered, and set over steam or in a water bath.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Servings
4
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 14 oz boneless pike fillets or leftover cooked pike pieces
- 1 large onion (about 4.2 oz), finely chopped
- 1.5 oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing and drizzling
- 4 medium potatoes (about 1 lb 5 oz), peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (33–36% fat)
- 1 3/4 oz fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp salt (to taste)
- Optional: 1/3 cup dry white wine (if using for baking or steaming in wine)
- Butter and extra breadcrumbs for lining baking dish or mold
Instructions
- This recipe is a clever way to use leftover or small pieces of pike, turning them into a hearty baked dish layered with potatoes and rich cream.
- Start by removing the meat from any leftover pike pieces, discarding bones.
- Sauté finely chopped onion in butter until translucent and spread this mixture on the bottom of an ovenproof dish.
- Drizzle over a few tablespoons of heavy cream, then add a layer of sliced potatoes (about 1/4 inch thick), followed by a layer of prepared pike meat.
- Drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and lightly salt each layer.
- Repeat the layering—onion, cream, potatoes, fish, butter, breadcrumbs, salt—until the dish is filled.
- Finish with plenty of cream on top, dot with butter, and dust with breadcrumbs.
- Bake in a moderate oven (about 350°F) until golden and bubbling, roughly 30–45 minutes.
- Alternatively, you may use a buttered and breadcrumb-lined mold to steam or bake the assembly in a bain-marie or in white wine for a moister result.
Estimated Calories
500 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 20 minutes to prepare all the ingredients and layers. Baking in the oven takes around 40 minutes. The whole recipe makes about 4 servings, and each serving contains around 500 calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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