National Czech dishes are popular. Czech cuisine. Side dishes for main dishes

Publication date: 2015-04-22

“A piece of fried ham, soaked in brine, and with potato dumplings sprinkled with cracklings, and with cabbage! Real jam! After that, beer is drunk with pleasure!... What else does a person need?

"Adventures good soldier Schweik, Yaroslav Gashek

The annual pilgrimage to the Czech Republic by millions of tourists from all over the world is associated not only with a rich historical heritage and unique ancient architecture. A full-fledged attraction of this country can be called national cuisine.

Brief description of Czech cuisine

The geographical location of the Czech Republic predetermined its culinary traditions. For many centuries, the gastronomic habits of the Czechs were influenced by their neighbors - German-Austrian cuisine in the west, Hungarian in the south and Slavic in the east. Western neighbors enriched Czech cuisine with all sorts of sausages and various types of cabbage, from the south - she got thick rich soups, goulash and the tradition of generously seasoning dishes with spices, and porridges, dishes from meat offal and pastry can be considered the contribution of the east.

At first glance, Czech cuisine is quite simple and uncomplicated. It is based on dishes from meat and poultry, potatoes and flour products, ideally combined with the main Czech drink - beer. But the devil, as they say, is in the details. Upon closer examination, one can see that the success of Czech cuisine is based on the use of selected meats and other products of the highest quality, their skillful cooking and a generous selection of various sauces, spices and seasonings.

The Czechs themselves like to say that their national cuisine is based on the trinity: “meat-dumplings-beer”.

It is difficult to call the Czech Republic a paradise for discerning gourmets (after all, it does not have such exquisite dishes as, for example, in French or Italian cuisine), but for lovers of hearty, tasty and, most importantly, inexpensive food, the possibilities are simply endless. Portions in the Czech Republic are huge (and the farther from the tourist centers - the more), the prices are moderate, and you can skip a glass of freshly brewed beer with a traditional set of snacks in any establishment literally at every step - from a simple bowl to a popular restaurant.

Czech cuisine will be of particular pleasure to meat-eaters - most of its dishes are based on the use of meat (mainly pork) and poultry (ducks, turkeys). Fish in the Czech Republic can be found, but rarely. Czechs eat mainly freshwater fish. The main Czech fish is the carp. Baked in sour cream and garlic sauce, it is a traditional Christmas dish.

An important place in the Czech national cuisine is occupied by soups and, of course, dumplings - boiled or steamed flour products that vaguely resemble wet bread. Plentifully poured with sauce, they are served with various dishes as a side dish.

Traditional Czech soups

Soups, or in Czech polevky, occupy an important place in Czech cuisine. Czechs prefer thick, fragrant soups with meat broth and mashed soups with an interesting sweet and sour flavor range (sauerkraut, sour milk or apples are usually added to soups for "sourness"). Cooks do not skimp on seasonings, adding caraway seeds, marjoram, thyme, ginger, bay leaf, pepper, paprika and fresh herbs in large quantities - dill, parsley. For density, egg yolks, semolina, flour, mashed vegetables, cream, butter are added to them. Because of their thick consistency, many Czech soups are easily confused with sauces.

Constant delight among tourists coming to the Czech Republic cause soups in bread. The soup is served in special bread "pots", inside of which the crumb has been removed. The crispy pot is topped with a pre-cut bread lid. Such a serving is typical for meat goulash soup, mushroom puree soup, thick potato, onion and many other soups. As a rule, each Czech restaurant has its own recipe for soup in bread. And it is so delicious that you yourself will not notice how you will eat not only the contents, but also the crispy pot itself, soaked in thick meat flavors and aromas!

As light first courses, meat and chicken broths seasoned with garlic, cheese and croutons are most often found.

Traditional Czech soups include:

bramborova polevka or bramboračka - thick potato soup with smoked meats and/or mushrooms according to an old Czech recipe. Dressed with sour cream mixed with flour. Often served in bread.

gulašova polevka- goulash soup. A popular thick soup based on pork, beef, poultry or rabbit meat. In addition to meat, offal, chicken and duck giblets can be added to it. It is thickened with flour fried in butter or lard, semolina or mashed potatoes and vegetables. It is also traditional for him to serve in bread.

česnekova polevka or česnečka - garlic soup with potatoes and smoked meats, can be prepared both quite thick (then beaten eggs are added to it), and more liquid. Often served with croutons.

koprová polevka- dill soup with sour milk according to an old recipe. It is generously flavored with sour cream and fresh herbs. And although the head hurts extremely rarely after Czech beer, but if you interfered with it the night before with absinthe, liquor, slivovitz or Becherovka, this is the best hangover cure.

cibulova polevka or cibulačka - onion soup with croutons and cheese. Prepared in meat or bone broth. Onions are fried in lard. It has a rich, pungent taste.

hovězí polevka s játrovými knedlíčky- beef soup with liver dumplings. The "highlight" of this soup is dumplings, kneaded from slices of bread soaked in milk and minced liver.

kulajda- kulajda or South Bohemian potato-mushroom soup - an old recipe for a first course from southern Bohemia. It is rightfully considered one of the masterpieces of Czech cuisine. Prepared with milk or cream. It has a thick texture, white color and rich mushroom aroma.

zelna polevka- sauerkraut soup. We can say that this is cabbage soup of Czech cuisine. It is prepared plain or with the addition of milk (cream) and thickened flour fried in butter.

dršťková polevka- tripe soup. A thick rich pork tripe soup, a traditional dish of Czech peasants. Generously seasoned with paprika, garlic and other spices (marjoram, cumin, pepper).

clue: if you want to find an inexpensive hotel in Prague, we recommend that you look at this section of special offers. Usually discounts are 25-35%, but sometimes they reach 40-50%.

Main (second) dishes of Czech cuisine

As second courses (hlavní chod), Czechs prefer meat dishes with side dishes. The first place in popularity is held by pork, followed by chicken, in third place is beef. Duck, turkey, goose, pheasant dishes are also common. Fish is much less popular, although in big restaurants you will always find a few dishes of trout, carp or cod. It is usually fried, baked in the oven or grilled. The traditional Christmas dish is baked in the oven. carp. It is baked with sour cream and garlic or cheese and garlic sauce.

Since the Czechs are meat-eaters, they cook meat dishes excellently. The meat is pre-marinated, often in the beloved Czech beer. The main methods of preparing second courses are stewing, frying and baking, including grilling (charcoal). Czechs prefer meat cut into large pieces, whole (such as roasted duck or pork knuckle) or smaller pieces for goulash. Minced meat dishes are not typical for Czech cuisine, with the exception of wieners and sausages (drunks), which the Czechs themselves refer to as beer snacks rather than main dishes.

In the preparation of second courses are generously used seasonings and spices- onion, garlic, mustard, horseradish, marjoram, paprika, cumin, ginger, thyme, sage, coriander, cardamom, basil, dill.

Sauces, or omáčky, occupy a special place in Czech cuisine. They are served with second courses, appetizers, side dishes and dumplings. Czech sauces are mostly thick, with rich flavors and aromas. Traditions of their consumption date back to the Middle Ages. The basis for the preparation of ancient sauces was the frying of flour in fat, diluted, depending on the belonging of the eaters to one class or another, with water, meat or vegetable broth, wine, milk, cream and even beer. They added spices, roots and herbs. Since that time, the technology for making sauces has changed little.

Sauces traditional for Czech cuisine are: garlic, tomato, cucumber, dill, onion, mushroom, creamy, lingonberry, cranberry, blackberry. To improve the taste properties, butter, cream, milk, sour cream are added to them.

- group tour (up to 10 people) for the first acquaintance with the city and the main attractions - 3 hours, 20 euros

- a walk through the little-known but interesting corners of Prague away from the tourist routes to feel the real spirit of the city - 4 hours, 30 euros

- bus tour for those who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the Czech Middle Ages - 8 hours, 30 euros

Main second courses

Baked pork knee (Pečené vepřové koleno)

A dish with which most tourists associate the Czech Republic. The main dish of Czech cuisine is prepared from fresh pork knuckle - the part from the middle of the leg to the middle of the thigh. The shank can be baked in different ways. The conceptual difference between most recipes is the absence or presence of a boil stage. According to the traditional recipe, the shank is first boiled in broth or beer with the addition of various roots (celery, carrots), onions, garlic and spices, and then grilled. Served with sauerkraut or stewed cabbage, potatoes, pickled cucumbers, garlic and herbs.

Baked pork ribs in honey (Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu)

The "highlight" of this recipe is a special marinade based on honey. Before baking, the ribs are marinated for a long time, and then baked for a long time over low heat, which is why they practically melt in your mouth;

Vepro-knedlo-zelo (Vepřo-knedlo-zelo)

Another old Czech dish of baked pork, dumplings (a special Czech "bread" side dish, but more on them later) and stewed sauerkraut. According to the glorious Czech tradition, it is richly poured with thick gravy.

Svichková on sour cream (Svíčková na smetaně)

Stewed young beef or veal tenderloin with sauce. For this dish, the meat is selected especially carefully, and marinated in spices for 1-2 days before cooking. Sauce plays a key role in the taste of the finished dish. It is prepared on the basis of vegetables stewed in meat broth, which are then whipped to a puree state. For taste, milk, cream or sour cream is added to the sauce. The addition of berry sauces or even jam from sour berries - cranberry, lingonberry, blackberry - gives a special piquancy to the dish. Well, a few slices of dumplings, served with the dish, will help you soak up the whole sauce.

Other second courses

veprovy rizek - breaded fried pork chop. It is a Czech variety of schnitzel or escalope. The dish got into the national Czech cuisine under the influence of close proximity to Germany and Austria-Hungary.

rečena vepřova játra - baked pork liver. It cooks very quickly so that the inside of the liver remains soft pink. Served with fried onions and thick flour sauce.

Goulash with dumplings

hovězí gulaš s knedlíkem - beef goulash with dumplings. traditional recipe cooking stew in thick gravy. "Migrated" to Czech cuisine from Hungarian neighbors. And so that not a single drop of fragrant meat gravy is wasted, several pieces of potato or flour dumplings are attached to the dish. There are a great many recipes for making the “correct” Czech goulash, the only unchanged ingredients in them are pieces of juicy meat, onions and tomatoes ( tomato paste). Everything else (garlic, pepper, paprika, ginger, coriander and other spices) is at the discretion of the cook.

Duck with dumplings

pečene kachna - roast duck or goose. Belongs to the category of festive dishes of Czech cuisine. The whole baked bird is served with sauerkraut and dumplings. To get a crispy fragrant crust, the bird can be smeared with honey or a specially prepared honey mixture with salt and spices.

Lamb with rosemary

jehněčí na rozmarynu - lamb baked with rosemary. A delicious dish of rare lamb on the Czech table. Fresh sprigs of rosemary add piquancy to the dish. For baking, various pieces of lamb can be taken - the vertebral part (hřbetu), ribs (žebírka), neck (krk) and leg (kýta). Various variations of the recipe allow the use of garlic, olive oil, lemon and even marmalade. Often a sauce of sour berries (lingonberries, cranberries) is served with the dish. Another variety of lamb dishes is bohemian meat. To prepare the dish, soft lamb is cut into rectangular pieces, fried and stewed with onions and potatoes.

traditional smaženy kapr - baked carp. One of the few fish dishes of Czech cuisine, which can be called the main Christmas dish of the country. Traditionally served at the festive table at Christmas. Carps on this occasion are fattened special - large and fat. The fish is baked with sour cream and beer sauce, onion and lemon. The abdomen can be stuffed with browned onions, carrots, champignons. Before cooking, experienced housewives soak carp in beer for 1-2 days (necessarily in the dark). It is customary to wear scales from the Christmas carp in your wallet all year round - it is believed that they attract money and wealth.

pečený pstruh - baked trout. Another one of the few fish dishes in Czech cuisine. The fish is baked with lemon and spices - rosemary, thyme, garlic, pepper. Bake fish different ways- on the grill, on coals, in foil.

Czech side dishes

Describing Czech side dishes(přílohy), the story can be divided into two parts - about dumplings and everything else.

Indeed, in almost no country in the world there is a dish that even remotely resembles Czech knedlik(knedlik). It stands on some special step between bread and side dishes, replacing both for the Czechs themselves. Although, if you make a short digression into history, you may be surprised to find that dumplings are not at all an invention of Czech culinary specialists. They came to the Czech Republic from Germany and Austria. And the name of the dish itself has quite German roots and comes from the German “knödel”. However, knodels, used in southern Germany and Tyrol and being siblings (or, to be more precise, great-great-grandfathers) of Czech dumplings, could not be promoted to the status of a “brand”, and remained an inconspicuous phenomenon of regional significance on the culinary map of these countries. Czech dumplings received the official status of one of the main national symbols countries, and every self-respecting Czech housewife knows at least three recipes for the most “correct” home-made dumplings: potato, flour (bread) and sweet.

So, what is a classic Czech dumpling? Here comes the most a big problem. There is absolutely no possibility to classify dumplings into “correct” and “wrong” ones - there are many options for their preparation, in each region (what a region - in every family!) The recipe for dumplings is different and, of course, the most authentic and delicious.

Basically, all dumplings have one thing in common - steaming or boiling a dough-like mass mixed from a variety of ingredients. The composition of the "dough" may include mashed raw or boiled potatoes, flour, starch, an egg, pieces of stale bread or a roll soaked in milk. A variety of products can be added to this base: cottage cheese, corn or semolina, liver, bacon, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms, greens. When sugar, fruits and berries are added to the dough, sweet dumplings are obtained, which are used in Czech cuisine as a dessert. They can be served with sweet sauces, ice cream, fruit, poppy seeds, nuts and chocolate.

Depending on the recipe, the dough for dumplings can be yeast and yeast-free.

The beauty of dumplings lies in the fact that, having an inexpressive taste in itself, due to their consistency, they perfectly absorb all the flavors of the main dish. Therefore, they are perfect for thick soups and various sauces for which Czech cuisine is famous.

From traditional side dishes Czech cuisine includes:

• bramborová kaše- mashed potatoes. Perfect with meat dishes with thick sauces and fish;
• bramborove hranolky- classic french fries. Czechs are generally very fond of potato side dishes, so you can find potatoes on the menu in the most various options - boiled, baked, with fried bacon, garlic, dill, etc.;
• krokety - croquettes. Deep fried mashed potato balls. They can take the form of small sticks, roses and others;
• dusene zeli(stewed cabbage) and dušene kysane zeli(stewed sauerkraut) - prepared from sauerkraut. Another popular Czech side dish. Served both on its own with second courses, and as part of complex side dishes. It pairs perfectly with pork knuckle, drowned fish, baked ribs and other traditional Czech dishes. Can be prepared from white and red cabbage, with the addition bay leaf, cumin, cranberries, lingonberries, carrots, apples;
• fazolove lusky- boiled or stewed green beans.

Beer snacks

A story about Czech cuisine would be incomplete without mentioning traditional beer snacks. Drinking beer in the Czech Republic is a centuries-old national tradition, which is supported by millions of tourists who come to the country with pleasure. In every drinking establishment you will find an impressive list of snacks that can quickly kill the hungriest worm and from the very better side emphasize the taste merits of numerous types of beer - dark, semi-dark, ruby, light, bitter, sour, smoked, wheat and many, many others.

The goals of any proper beer snack are twofold: to emphasize the unique taste of the foamy drink and to create a thirst, leading to the order of the next glass. Given the second, the bulk of Czech beer snacks are distinguished by an abundance of salt and all kinds of spices.

- by completing interactive tasks and finding answers, step by step, you will get to know Prague and its history better - 3 hours, 20 euros

- a trip to the capital of Saxony - a city of arts, exquisite architecture, great museum collections - 11 hours, 35 euros

Main snack dishes

Marinated hermelin (nakládaný hermelín)

Hermelín means "ermine" in Czech. This is the name of a variety of soft, fatty cheese made from cow's milk, with white mold on the surface. By their own palatability Germelin is similar to French Camembert. Served as an appetizer with white wine. As a beer snack, it is served marinated. To do this, the cheese is soaked for two weeks in a special marinade based on vegetable (rapeseed) oil with the addition of spices - onion, garlic, allspice and black pepper, chili pepper, bay leaf, thyme and marinated hot pepper "feferoni" (pálivé feferonky).

As a hot appetizer, hermelin is served deep fried in breadcrumbs ( smažený hermelín) or grilled ( grilovany hermelín). During heat treatment, all facets of the taste and aroma of cheese are revealed. Outside, the cheese is covered with a delicious crispy crust, and inside it has a gentle fluid content that literally melts in your mouth. Served with garlic, cucumber-dill, cranberry or lingonberry sauce.

Drowned people (utopenci)

Drowned people - translated from Czech as "drowned people". Fatty meat sausages (marinated in a sour marinade for about two weeks) with an original serving - each sausage is cut lengthwise, circles of tomato, pickled onions, sweet peppers, pickled cucumbers, pickled pepperoni peppers, etc. are put into the cut. Sprinkle generously with fresh herbs on top.

Beef tartare with toasted bread (hovězý tatarák s topinkami)

Tartar with bread

It is a variant of the famous Tatar snack of raw ground beef with egg yolk. Served with crispbread and spices - red and black pepper, garlic, pickled onions, olives and various sauces. It is better to try tartare in proven places, with guaranteed meat quality. Remember that minced meat is raw and not cooked.

Olomouc curds (olomoucké tvarůžky)

A kind of Czech snack "for an amateur." It is a kind of ripened curd cheese. They have a sharp specific smell and taste. It is recommended to use with toast with butter. Those who dare to try this old "delicacy" of Czech peasants from the village of Lostice, in the vicinity of Olomouc (they began to produce it there back in the 15th century), say that if you do not pay attention to the smell, then according to your taste and delicate texture, cheese is more than something like smoked halibut.

Classic Snack Dishes, which you will surely find in any Czech pub or restaurant:

• tlacenka - tlachenka. This name hides the well-known brawn from pork knuckle and meat offal. Served with pickled onions, horseradish, mustard and white sauces;
• grilovane klobasky - grilled sausages. Delicious grilled meat sausages with a crispy crust. Served with various hot sauces and mustard. To form a more crispy crust, they can be cut crosswise on one or two sides;
• Tatarský biftek z lososa - raw salmon tartare. Served on lettuce with toasted toast, lemon, pepper and salt;
• pivni syr oblozeny - beer cheese. Bread with an original snack of beer cheese, salted sprat, onion, butter and a drop of beer.

Given the culture of mass consumption of beer, in every drinking establishment you will be offered fried toasts(topinky) with various fillings(minced meat or fish, cheese, anchovies, bacon, garlic, onions), and meat(masové prkenko) or cheesy(sýrové prkenko) assorted.

Salads

Despite their love for hearty meat and potato dishes, the Czechs do not forget about lighter snacks. Although, also with a touch of local culinary flavor. For example, one of the most popular Czech salads is potato salad - bramborovy salat. In addition to boiled potatoes, it includes carrots, celery root and parsley, red onions, pickled cucumbers, bacon cracklings and other ingredients of the hostess' choice. This salad is often served at the Christmas table. The “poorer” option includes, in addition to potatoes, onions, greens and mustard dressing with vinegar or wine (served warm). Another good example of the gastronomic passions of the Czechs is the Vlach salad ( vlašsky salát) from potatoes, green peas and a set of meat ingredients - sausages, ham, veal, tongue, etc. (such a Czech analogue of Olivier salad). A peculiar echo of the common history with Austria-Hungary is a salad of sweet pickled peppers, onions, celery root and smoked meats.

Desserts, pies

As a rule, travelers returning from the Czech Republic rarely mention local desserts. And absolutely in vain! Of course, this is largely due to the fact that the majority of tourists, absorbed in tasting varieties and brands of Czech beer, lean on beer snacks. Naturally, in this situation, the majority is no longer up to desserts. However, those with a sweet tooth will discover an astonishing variety of Czech desserts and pastries, which have a distinctly Austrian touch in their flavors, and the buns have definite Slavic roots.

We will not dwell on popular international desserts that can be found in any country in the world - tiramisu, cheesecake, napoleon or brownie. In the Czech Republic, they also know how to cook them, and the degree of this skill depends on the particular institution. We will talk about unique Czech desserts, which you are unlikely to find outside the country.

- acquaintance with the history and traditions of Czech brewing, visiting a traditional brewery with its own brewery - 3 hours, 40 euros

- enchanting nature rich story and the secrets of brewing the famous resort in a picturesque valley - 11 hours, 30 euros

Trdelnik, trdlo (Trdelnik, trdlo)

The most common street pastry in the Czech Republic. Tents with trdelniks can be found on every corner, and you can unmistakably determine their location by the breathtaking smell of cinnamon, vanilla and fresh muffin that spreads throughout the area. They are hollow tubes of butter rolled on a rolling pin. yeast dough sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, sometimes crushed nuts, poppy seeds or coconut flakes, smeared with honey, chocolate or hot caramel. Baked on an open fire. Without trdelniks, it is impossible to imagine any folk festival, fair or street festival in the Czech Republic.

It is interesting that the Slovak village of Skalica (and the cook of the Hungarian writer Josef Gvadani who worked there in the 18th century) and the old Cesky Krumlov argue for the right to be called the creators of the most popular Czech delicacy. Supporters latest version they say that trdelniks were invented by a city baker who decided to trade his products at a large fair. In those years, according to tradition, every merchant or artisan, in order to draw attention to the product, put pretty girls-relatives behind the counter. The baker's daughter was not particularly beautiful, but she spun beautifully. To draw attention to his product, the baker decided to have the girl bake dough tubes, winding them on a wooden spindle and sprinkling sugar and cinnamon right in front of delighted customers. Considering the fate of the new delicacy, we can say that the baker's idea was a resounding success, and his marketing move turned out to be extremely successful. By the way, trdlo in Czech means "idiot" or "fool".

We have already described dumplings in detail in the section on. Sweet dumplings are distinguished by a richer dough; cottage cheese, soft cheese, vanillin, cinnamon, lemon and orange peel, candied fruits, nuts, fruits and berries are added to them. Served with sour cream, butter or custard, poured with butter, chocolate, jam or jam. A popular variety of sweet dumplings are szilvas gomboc(Hungarian) or knedliky se švestkami - dumplings with plums. They are round balls of potato or cottage cheese dough stuffed with plums or other sweet and sour fruits. Boiled in boiling water and then rolled in breadcrumbs, powdered sugar, coconut flakes, poppy seeds or crushed nuts.

Bakery based on rich yeast dough of various shapes with fillings from fruits, berries, nuts, raisins, dried apricots or cream cheese. Examples are: kalach(koláč) - a small round bun and bath(vánočka) - an elongated braid.

Zavin - Czech strudel. It is almost a copy of the Austrian strudel. It is baked in the form of a roll of thin puff pastry stuffed with apples, berries, cottage cheese, poppy seeds, chocolate. Czech confectioners serve strudel with whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate or vanilla sauce, garnished with berries and young mint or lemon balm leaves.

Věnecek- a small custard cake in the form of a ring. It is the Czech equivalent eclairs. Its larger "brother" - windnik. It starts with whipped cream, custard, butter or protein cream, poured with glaze, decorated with whipped cream, nuts or berries. Another variety of it is an oblong-shaped eclair, apparently named by a lover of black humor. "rakvička" - coffin.

Palacinky- sweet thin pancakes. Czech confectioners make them especially delicate and openwork. Served with ice cream, whipped cream, marmalade, syrup, jam or melted chocolate. Sprinkled with berries, almonds, powdered sugar.

Oplatky- thin round stuffed waffles. Derived from the word "poplatek" - fee. This name was most likely due to the external similarity with coins. They are baked with a relief pattern on the surface, have a pleasant golden yellowish color. They start with chocolate, nougat, whipped cream, pieces of fruit. The taste is reminiscent of the famous Viennese waffles. The birthplace of payments is Karlovy Vary, where they appeared on the tables of local housewives at the end of the 18th century.

Pernik - gingerbread. They are baked according to old recipes in various regions of the Czech Republic. The most famous - Pardubice gingerbread(Pardubický perník) in the shape of a heart and Stramber ears(Štramberské uši), baked in the form of sacks of thin gingerbread dough.

Street food and Czech fast food

Prague, like almost the entire Czech Republic, is a place actively visited by tourists from all over the world. Therefore, it cannot do without lively street trading. In addition to those already described trdelnikov, popular street food in the Czech Republic are hot dogs (párek), fried sausages with side dishes from cauldrons - potatoes with pasta and stewed cabbage. A peculiar version of Czech shawarma is bramborák - ham, bacon, salami with herbs and vegetables wrapped in a potato pancake. On the central squares, skewers with the famous boar knee and even a whole carcass of piglets tease with their seductive aromas. Unusual appearance attract hungry (and even not so) buyers of deep-fried potato spirals strung on wooden mini-skewers - such peculiar chips. Well, the undisputed leader in terms of the maddening aroma is smoked Prosciutto di Praga(famous old Prague ham). In terms of its taste properties, it is in no way inferior to Italian prosciutto or Balkan prosciutto. It tries to compete with the smell of fried cheese (smazhak) and langosh (from the Hungarian lángos - fiery) - fried crispy flatbread with cheese, garlic sauce or sour cream.

Fast food in the Czech Republic also has its own national "zest". In addition to the traditional McDonald's, Burger King and KFC, it is represented by the famous European brand Nordsee (perhaps the best fast food with seafood dishes), national analogues of Fasty's, Bageterie Boulevard and Express Sandwich (the Czech analogue of Subway). The menu of international networks takes into account the increased interest of Czechs in meat, so you can find dishes with national flavor there. For example, at McDonald's visitors are offered a Maestro Bohemia burger made from Czech beef and a large portion of bacon. You can find a large selection in local eateries. Khlebitchkov- the Czech version of sandwiches, the most popular of which are bread with ham, cheese, various smoked meats and salmon. For taste, lettuce, greens, beer cheese, mayonnaise sauce, and butter are often added to the bread.

In the life of every person, great importance is attached to food. Everyone knows that it is a source of vitality and necessary energy. Many people like to get acquainted with the national cuisines of the world. Thus, they try to diversify their diet and add something special to it. Today the subject of our conversation will be the national dishes of the Czech Republic. And you don't have to go there to try them. We invite our readers to get acquainted with the top 10 main national dishes of the Czech Republic. You will also find recipes for some dishes in the article. Let's start dating.

National dishes of the Czech Republic: features

Each country has its own attitude to cooking. Czech cuisine has evolved over a huge number of years. This issue was not without the influence of other countries. Czech cuisine can be compared with Russian. They cook soups, meat dishes, side dishes. But there are still differences. Let's move on to their description:

Food in the Czech Republic: national dishes

We suggest you try to cook them at home. Be sure to stock up on the necessary seasonings and spices. You will need them during the cooking process. Why are different sauces so popular in the Czech Republic? They help the body absorb large portions. We will introduce you to the best national dishes of the Czech Republic. What to try to cook from the proposed recipes, decide for yourself. Remember that the presented dishes are not only tasty, but also very high-calorie.

Top 10 most popular dishes

It's time to get to know the national cuisine of the Czech Republic. After studying a large amount of necessary information and analyzing it, we decided to compile for you the top 10 popular dishes. Let's start our list from the very end. So let's get started:

• In tenth place - trdlo.
• Ninth - svichkova on sour cream.
• Eighth - fried cheese.
• Seventh - drowned.
• Sixth - goulash.
• Fifth - pork ribs.
• Fourth - garlic.
• The third is pork knee.
• The second is bramboraki.
• In the first place - dumplings.

Next, we will tell you in detail how to cook some of the popular national dishes of the Czech Republic (photos will also be provided in the article). Perhaps some of you will have a desire to try them, and the piggy bank of homemade recipes will replenish.

Trdlo

Many names of the national dishes of the Czech Republic do not at all give an idea to the Russian tourist what kind of dish this is. Let's take it upon ourselves to fix it. After reading the article to the end, you will have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat is hidden behind the mysterious and incomprehensible names, and also learn how to cook them. Trdlo. I wonder what kind of dish it is? Those who have visited the Czech Republic know that this is a very tasty dessert. It is also called triangles or Czech trdlo buns. Sell ​​right on the street, in small kiosks. Cooked over charcoal and special devices on which the dough is wrapped. This incredibly delicious dessert is a must to eat hot. It can be with the addition of chocolate, nuts, sugar. Now we will teach you how to cook it at home.

We will need:

• yeast;
• flour - 2.5 cups;
• butter - 100 g;
• cinnamon - Art. l.;
• egg - 2-3 pieces;
• water - half a glass;
• milk - 1 glass;
• nuts - 0.5 tbsp.;
• salt;
• sugar - 1 tbsp.

Recipe

Svichkova on sour cream

One of the most popular and favorite dishes in the Czech Republic. This is the name of tender meat tenderloin, which is served with a special sauce and dumplings. For cooking we need:

• meat, preferably beef - 500 g;
• carrots - 1-2 pieces;
• onions - 2-3 pcs.;
• ham or bacon - 300 g;
• salt;
• water;
• milk or cream;
• spices, herbs.

Cooking technology:

Knedliks

Without this dish, it is very difficult to imagine the national cuisine of the Czech Republic. For cooking we need:

• milk;
• eggs;
• salt;
• Wheat flour.

The recipe is very simple. Knead the usual dough. Then we cut off small pieces from it and roll them into a sausage. Cut off small pieces from it and boil in salted, boiling water for several minutes. Can be served with sour cream, any jam, lemon, condensed milk. Dumplings can be made both salty and sweet. We think that this unusually simple dish will certainly appeal not only to adults, but also to children.

fried cheese

This dish can be a great breakfast option. Take any hard cheese and cut it into rectangles. Next, prepare three plates. In one we mix a small amount of flour and salt, in the second we beat a few eggs, in the third there will be breadcrumbs. Then roll the cheese in turn in each of the plates. Repeat the procedure twice. Place the cheese in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. In a well-heated pan with sunflower oil, fry the pieces of cheese until golden brown. The dish is served only hot!

Goulash

Many tourists who come to the Czech Republic remember with pleasure the fragrant and tender stew in spicy tomato sauce. We invite you to learn how to cook this amazingly delicious dish.

We will need:

• meat - 500 g;
• Bell pepper;
• flour - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• onions - 2-3 pcs.;
• tomato paste - 1.5 tbsp. spoons;
• sour cream - 2 tbsp. l.;
• sunflower oil - for frying;
• garlic - 2-3 cloves;
• beer - 500 ml;
• seasonings - pepper, cumin, paprika.

Cooking:

Chesnechka

We invite you to learn how to cook a very easy and delicious soup with garlic. Its highlight is that it is served not in a plate, but in... bread. Let's learn how to cook this delicious dish.

Ingredients:

• smoked meats (bacon, ham, pork ribs);
• potato;
• butter;
• egg;
• garlic - a whole head;
• salt and spices to taste.

Recipe:

• Cut into small pieces of smoked meat and potatoes. Take a saucepan, pour water into it. When it's hot, add butter.
• Put potatoes, and after five minutes - smoked meats. When the soup boils, chop the garlic, and add it in several portions. Salt the soup and add spices.
• For classic garlic you will need: marjoram, black pepper, cumin. But if you do not have these spices, then it does not matter. You can add only one pepper.
• Carefully pour the egg into the soup, stirring it well.
• At the very end of cooking, add more garlic. Close the lid and turn off the stove. After a few minutes, the dish is ready.

If you want to experience the real taste of Czech soup, we recommend that you serve it in bread. To do this, it is better to take a high round bun. Cut off the top and carefully remove the crumb, leaving the bread wall. Now you can pour soup here.

The most unusual names of dishes

Readers will certainly be interested in getting to know them. The list of unusual names of national dishes of the Czech Republic will look like this:

• Drowners. So the Czechs call ordinary sausages marinated with onions.
• Houska is a sweet bun made from yeast dough. Poppy seeds or raisins can be added to it.
• Baked kahna. One of the popular meat dishes. This name is fried duck, which is served with stewed cabbage or potatoes.
• Payments - Czech waffles.
• Bramboraki. The dish tastes like potato pancakes.

Warm potato salad

Many housewives will be very interested to know if there are salads among the national dishes of the Czech Republic. Of course have. We offer you one recipe that you can easily prepare. Its peculiarity is that it is cooked warm.

Boil young potatoes in their skins. You don’t need to clean it, this is how it is usually served in the Czech Republic, but if you don’t like it, then do as is customary in your house. Potato cut into pieces. We fill with any greens. We take a small amount of olive oil, a little vinegar, mustard, salt. We mix everything and season the salad. You can add a spoonful of dry white wine.

The beauty of the Czech Republic cannot be fully known without tasting traditional dishes - national pride countries. But going into any, even the most modest restaurant, you get lost in front of a huge selection of first and second courses, not to mention the variety of beer snacks, which would be quite enough for a separate menu.

By the way, if you decide to taste all the most delicious and famous dishes of Czech national cuisine, you will have to put up with a couple of extra centimeters on the hips and waist - the food here is very high-calorie, satisfying; Czechs are very fond of meat (poultry, game, pork and beef), cooked in a variety of ways. And the portions in restaurants are so large that it is quite possible to order one dish for two ... it remains only to decide what to order?

We present the TOP 10 most famous and delicious dishes of traditional Czech cuisine, which you should definitely try.

Read in this article

Baked pork knee

Traditional delicious dish(Рečené vepřové koleno) is comparable to spaghetti in Italy or pilaf in Uzbekistan and is a real gastronomic brand. Fragrant, juicy, ruddy, ready-made pork knee on the bone weighs almost a kilogram and is ordered, as a rule, for 2-4 people. It is prepared in every restaurant and pub, but it is served differently: with horseradish, tomatoes, garlic and spices, not to mention numerous sauces and gravies.

A baked leg with mustard and horseradish with beer will cost 200 crowns. If you order only a knee, its cost will be 150-160 kroons.

Knedliks

Knedliks are the holy of holies of Czech national cuisine. Although, the most interesting thing is that initially this dish belonged to the Austrian and German cuisines, but today it has become the national dish of the Czech Republic, its culinary symbol. In fact, it is an oblong piece of dough boiled in a large amount of water or steamed (kneaded with flour or with the addition of potatoes), which is then cut across like a loaf and served as a side dish, for example, to the same baked knee. Interestingly, the dumplings themselves are inexpressive and do not have a bright taste, but in combination with meat and sauces, they perfectly absorb all the flavors of the main dish.

Well, if you sprinkle dumplings with sweet berry syrup and decorate with fruits, you get a delicious dessert. Dumplings are inexpensive - from 5 to 20 crowns.

Remember! Portions in the Czech Republic are generous, so do not rush to order everything at once, it is better to take main courses at the rate of one for 2-3 people.

Drowners, clobas, tlachenki

Such beer snacks as croutons, chips or nuts simply fade against the backdrop of a real Czech snack - delicious meat sausages! They are usually served grilled with a variety of sauces.

The most popular sausages that you should definitely try in the Czech Republic are:

Drowners, which on the menu look like utopenci - rather vigorous bacon soaked in vinegar marinade, because of their bright taste, they are used only with beer.

Fried sausages, they are also klobasa - a product that tastes less sharp; these mouth-watering sausages are good on their own, and in combination with a foamy drink they become simply divine.

Tlachenka (and in Czech - tlacenka) is a meat dish resembling strong jelly or brawn, made from pork legs, tongue or offal and consumed with vinegar. When serving, it is flavored with pepper, onion and vinegar.

Advice! In pubs and restaurants in the Czech Republic, they always cook in the morning and serve food only freshly prepared. Therefore, if you want to try the most famous dishes, it is better to go to a meal in the morning or closer to dinner, because. by evening, there is no trace left of the local delicacies of the first demand.

Please note: very often sausages are sold right on the streets of Prague. This is an old tradition, so in the Czech capital it is not at all surprising that there are numerous chewing tourists looking at the sights with a sausage in one hand. Among the street assortment, you should try Bavarian, Old Prague, Prague and Wenceslas sausages, the cost of which ranges from 50 to 80 kroons. The price includes dumplings or bread and sauces: mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup.

Vepro-knedlo-zelo

If you decide to conscientiously taste local delicacies, you won’t get off with one pork knee. Be sure to order at the restaurant such a hearty dish as Vepřo-knedlo-zelo, which is fried pork with stewed cabbage, served with dumplings.

Usually, for cooking, portioned parts of the shoulder blade or loin are used, marinated in spices and first fried in a pan, and then baked in the oven. During the roasting process, the pork is poured with broth and the resulting juice, so that as a result the meat is very tender and juicy, literally melting. Czechs are generally very fond of and skillfully cook pork, which, moreover, is much cheaper than lamb or beef meat. Well, stewed cabbage for a side dish is a classic of the genre, just like in Germany.

You can order this legendary dish from the Strahov Monastery for some 140 crowns.

Czech soups

To be in the Czech Republic and not taste the local soups - polevki - is a real crime. The first dishes here are very hearty, rich, home-style delicious. They can rightly be considered the property of the country. Liquid transparent soups are not about Czechs, no. Thick first courses are respected here, and vegetable purees, semolina or flour mash are usually added to create the appropriate consistency. An unusual ingredient used in soups and giving an interesting taste can be called fried yeast.

Note! Soups are often served in a bread loaf - be sure to try it, it's very beautiful, but most importantly - delicious!

The most popular first courses in the Czech Republic are:

Česnečka - fragrant and unusually tasty soup with garlic and smoked meats,

Pivní polévka - an original beer soup served with cheese toasts,

Bramboračka - the famous potato and mushroom soup; by the way, it is this, according to tradition, that is served in bread,

Kulajda - a thick soup with mushrooms and potatoes, flavored with sour cream, served with a boiled egg.

A portion of Czech soup costs from 40 crowns and more.

Goulash

It would seem that what makes the traditional dish of Hungary in the list of the most popular dishes of Czech cuisine? In fact, the Czechs have long borrowed it for themselves and really love and respect it. In catering establishments, you can find a variety of variations of goulash - it is prepared from traditional beef and pork, but also from veal, rabbit, lamb and cold cuts. There are Segedin, rural, hunting, Slovak, Hungarian and other types of goulash. We advise you to try one of its variations in authentic Czech establishments - this is not a tourist dish, so it is easiest to find it in restaurants oriented towards locals.

The cost of 200 gr, for example, Pilsen beef goulash with dumplings, is 100-120 kroons.

Fried carp

Despite the fact that the Czechs are ardent fans of pork in any form, fish is also respected here. It is especially recommended to try fried carp (on the menu - pečený kapr) - this particular dish is obligatory element Christmas holiday table. You should also not refuse baked trout - Pečený pstruh.

It costs 1 fish 110-150 crowns.

Olomouc curds

Cheese is loved in the Czech Republic, especially as a beer snack. Be sure to try the soft Germelin cheese, which resembles Camembert with its white mold, as well as varieties such as Pivni Syr and Zlata Niva.

But the most important cheese dish, which is to be tasted first of all, is Olomuk cheese curds fried in breadcrumbs. By itself, Olomouka cheese is made only in the Czech Republic and has a specific unpleasant smell, which, however, completely disappears when frying. Olomouc curds go especially well with beer and ordinary rye bread with onions.

A serving of fried cheese (150 gr) with Tatar sauce will cost 120-150 kroons.

Trdlo

You can taste trdelnik, or trdlo, he is also a “fool”, basically only on the street. This sweet pastry is made from rich yeast dough, which is wound on a metal rolling pin and fried on the grill or in the oven. The finished trdlo is removed from the rolling pin and sprinkled with sugar, poppy seeds, chopped nuts or fragrant coconut flakes.

Interestingly, similar pastries, though under different names, are baked and sold on the streets of Hungary and Slovakia.

One trdlo costs 45-50 kroons, and if you supplement its taste with nutella, then 60 kroons.

Strudel

Despite the fact that there are many national desserts in the Czech Republic (vanochki, kolache, etc.), the leader in taste and demand is the good old German-Austrian strudel, which you can recognize on the menu by the word “závin”.

Prepare it here highest level, wrapping in thinly rolled unleavened dough the most different fillings: fruits, berries, cottage cheese, etc.

- very rich and tasty. It is based on a large amount of meat with the addition of various sauces, dumplings are very popular here, as well as sweet pastry desserts. Czech culinary traditions originated from a mixture of traditional local dishes and those borrowed from neighbors. Slovakia, Austria, Hungary had a great influence on the local cuisine.

National dishes and drinks of the Czech Republic

How is the cuisine of the Czech Republic and Slovakia similar?

Slovakian food is considered simpler and more unpretentious than Czech food, while they have a lot in common. The main dishes are traditional for both countries, especially soups. Slovaks, like the Czechs, love thick, rich soups with garlic, spices, and smoked meats. And both of them generally consider mushroom and garlic soup to be their national dish. The same applies to meat: in Slovakia, on the menu you will definitely find boar knee, schnitzels that came from Austria, and Hungarian goulash. Unlike the Czech Republic, fish is more often found on the table here, especially river and lake trout, which Slovaks know how to cook deliciously.

Dumplings, beloved by Czechs, are also popular among Slovaks, they are loved here in salty and sweet versions, with and without fillings.

Traditional food of Czech regions

National dishes in some cities of the Czech Republic can often be used not only as food, but also as souvenirs:

1. Karlovy Vary waffles- thin and tender, with many sweet fillings, popular since the 18th century. Previously, they were made in every home, but now they are more often bought ready-made. Factories produce special gift and souvenir packages of wafers that you can easily take with you.
2. Pardubice gingerbread refer to traditional honey pastries decorated with icing. Most often they are baked in the shape of a heart, then they are painted with plot pictures or inscriptions. Previously, they were brought as gifts to family from the fair in, but today they are taken to other countries as.
3. is a delicate cookie made of thin gingerbread dough rolled into a bag resembling the shape of an ear. The delicacy, loved by both adults and children, is produced in Štamberk, which is reflected in its name.

Gastronomic tourism in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is rightly proud of its cuisine and gladly introduces tourists to it. For lovers of beer, wine, meat, sweets, various routes have been developed on which you can immerse yourself in the local food more deeply.

Beer tours are considered the most popular tours. This is not only tasting different types of beer, but also visiting large factories and private breweries, getting to know the traditions of growing hops and participating in the production of a delicious drink.

In southern Moravia, you can go on a wine tour through vineyards and wineries. Here you will find tastings, the history of grape cultivation in the Czech Republic, acquaintance with the characteristics of local varieties and the opportunity to purchase wine directly from producers.