Crispy Polish Mushroom & Sauerkraut Croquettes
Enjoy traditional Polish Krokiety, a delicious appetizer featuring thin pancakes filled with a savory mixture of mushrooms and sauerkraut, then coated in breadcrumbs and shallow-fried to golden perfection. This recipe offers a unique taste of Polish cuisine, perfect as a snack or starter paired with classic beetroot soup (Barszcz).
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 4 hours (3 hours sauerkraut simmer + 1 hour pancake and krokiety cooking)
- Total Time: 5 hours
- Yield: 10 krokiety (serves 3) 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Polish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pancakes:
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour (300g)
- 1.7 cups Milk (400ml)
- 0.8 cups Water (200ml)
- 2 Eggs
- 1 pinch Salt
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
For the Filling:
- 10.6 oz White mushrooms (300g)
- 3.5 oz Dried wild mushrooms (100g) (Porcini and Boletus)
- 1.7 lbs Sauerkraut with liquid (800g)
- 3 Medium onions (diced)
- 3 Bay leaves
- 5 Allspice berries
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Vegeta seasoning (or salt as substitute)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Coating:
- 2 Eggs
- 2 cups Breadcrumbs (200g)
Instructions
- Cooking Sauerkraut: Place the sauerkraut along with its juice in a pot, add enough water to cover it fully. Add bay leaves and allspice berries, then simmer on low heat for 3 to 4 hours until the cabbage is soft. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed to keep everything submerged.
- Preparing Dried Mushrooms: Soak dried wild mushrooms in boiling water for 15 minutes until soft. Remove mushrooms and chop finely while reserving the soaking water for later use, taking care to avoid any sediment.
- Frying Onions and Mushrooms: In a frying pan over medium heat, sauté diced onions in vegetable oil until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add sliced fresh white mushrooms and increase heat until they start to brown. Season with Vegeta seasoning and black pepper, then remove from heat.
- Making Pancake Batter and Cooking Pancakes: Blend flour, milk, water, eggs, and salt with a hand mixer until a smooth, lump-free batter is formed. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a small amount of vegetable oil. Pour a small amount of batter and swirl it to form a thin pancake. Cook until set but not browned, then transfer to a plate. Repeat until all batter is used, stacking pancakes.
- Combining Filling Ingredients: Drain the cooked sauerkraut, remove bay leaves and allspice berries, cool it slightly, then chop finely. Mix the finely chopped sauerkraut with the rehydrated wild mushrooms and the sautéed onions and mushrooms. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste and mix well.
- Assembling Krokiety: Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each pancake. Fold the left and right edges toward the center, then roll the pancake tightly to enclose the filling, forming a croquette shape.
- Coating Krokiety: Beat the eggs in a bowl. Dip each rolled krokiet in the beaten eggs, then coat evenly with breadcrumbs. Prepared krokiety can be refrigerated for up to three days before frying if desired.
- Frying Krokiety: Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan to shallow fry the krokiety over medium heat. Cook each krokiet about 3 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the Polish krokiety warm, ideally with traditional beetroot soup (Barszcz) or enjoy on their own as a savory snack or appetizer.
Notes
- Be sure to simmer sauerkraut gently to develop mellow flavors without burning.
- Soaking dried mushrooms in hot water softens them quickly and intensifies the umami flavor.
- Use a non-stick pan and vegetable oil for cooking pancakes to prevent sticking and ensure thin crepes.
- Fold pancakes carefully to seal the filling inside and prevent filling from escaping during frying.
- Breadcrumb coating ensures a crispy exterior when shallow fried.
- Krokiety can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen before frying.