KRAUTKRAPFEN PART ONE
Channel: slobomotion
Date: 2013-11-20

Digital video recording, comments and annotations copyright 2013 Lisa B. Falour, B.S., M.B.A.
cutecatfaith.com
Dailymotion:  LisaFalour
YouTube:  SLOBOMOTION, CUTECATFAITH

I am half Pennsy Dutch and half Slovenian, from the USA.  This is my kitchen just outside Paris, France.  I may be a little bit some kind of English or something, but we are not sure.  May have been indentured servants.

The sauerkraut I used was canned but I can get it fresh at our greenmarket.  I can get it raw, just macerated cabbage, but I like it best with animal fat, wine, juniper berries, bay leaves, pepper, whole cumin seeds, etc.  We wouldn't want to eat it too often but it certainly gives you a kick in cold weather.  My spouse works outdoors nights and evenings, and needs a substantial meal to sustain him -- it's very hard, physical, dangerous work.

I didn't measure, but put three eggs in some wheat flour with a pinch of salt, a little oil, and a little milk.  When the dough got elastic through hand mixing with a wooden tool, I let it rest, covered with a warm, clean tea towel.  I don't recommend putting food in plastic and also, metal is often not a good idea for any dough or pastry.  Even a fork in it can "kill" it.

Grated nutmeg is a secret, but I used French quatre épices, a rather staple spice here.  It is ground nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and clove.  This is the secret of good French soups, mashed potatoes and many other things.

I needed more flour and didn't have any more wheat flour, so I rolled it out using buckwheat flour.  If your flour is old, you may find it doesn't absorb liquids well and may need some time to rest and work with. 

Buckwheat flour is technically a fruit but good for gluten intolerant people and it is seldom a direct substitute for wheat flour, but you should probably try it.  It's quite nourishing.

Once the dough had become elastic, rested and been rolled out thinly enough, I put a little grated Emmenthal cheese on it and a thin layer of the excellent kraut.

I carmelized onions in butter.  This does not take a lot!  

I put away the onions until the next day and left the cocotte (Dutch oven, an enameled pot and lid, a staple item in French kitchens) covered to keep the nice butter residue in the bottom.  My kitchen outside Paris is cold and drafty.

The dough with toppings is rolled.  I wrapped it in two layers of sulphurized paper ("parchment paper") and chilled it in the fridge overnight.

Next day, I sliced it and fried the pieces in hot butter and revived the carmelized onions in more butter in a little pan.  This might stand a bit more pepper.  You decide.  

The pieces should only be turned once.

These are good hot, lukewarm or even cold.  Any way you serve them, the hot butter and onions go over them, to soak in.

I've heard you could add bacon or streaky bacon but I never find that necessary.  I got two meals from my recipe.  All the leftover kraut was used in two days.

No strong spices are needed for this, and this really can be done with no meat at all if you like.

Part II will be posted here separately.