Polish minced cutlets with onion and marjoram Recipe
Minced meat cutlets are a classic Polish dinner – soft, juicy patties from the pan that many people associate with grandma’s home cooking. Served with potatoes and beetroot, they are our equivalent of meatballs known in other countries. Simple ingredients, and they disappear from the plate in just a few minutes.
These minced cutlets combine simple, everyday ingredients into a comforting, homely dish that’s soft and juicy inside with a crispy coating. The addition of marjoram and onion gives them a distinctly Polish character and a nostalgic flavour many people associate with childhood.
Chef's tips
Knead the meat mixture long enough for it to become slightly sticky – this ensures the cutlets hold their shape and stay juicy. Wet your hands with cold water before forming each cutlet so the mixture doesn’t stick. Fry over medium heat rather than high so the cutlets cook through without burning on the outside.
How to serve
Serve the cutlets with mashed or boiled potatoes and beetroot salad, or with buckwheat groats and a simple cucumber salad. They also taste great reheated the next day in a gravy or tomato sauce, served with bread for a quick lunch.
Ingredients
- minced meat preferably from pork shoulder or neck - 500 g
- stale wheat roll small, a kaiser roll works well - 1 piece
- milk for soaking the roll - 150 ml
- onion medium - 1 piece
- egg - 1 piece
- dried marjoram - 1 teaspoon
- breadcrumbs for coating the cutlets - 5 tablespoon
- oil for frying - 4 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cut the roll into pieces, place in a bowl and pour over the milk. Set aside for 5–10 minutes until it is well soaked and soft.
- Peel the onion and chop it very finely. You can also grate it on a fine grater if you want it to be less noticeable.
- Squeeze the soaked roll well with your hands to remove the excess milk.
- Put the minced meat, squeezed roll, chopped onion, egg, marjoram, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Knead the mixture thoroughly with your hands for 3–4 minutes until everything is well combined and the mixture becomes sticky.
- With wet hands, form palm-sized, slightly flattened patties from the mixture. Coat each patty thoroughly in breadcrumbs.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place the cutlets in the pan, leaving some space between them. Fry for about 5–6 minutes on each side, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through in the middle. If they brown too quickly, reduce the heat.
- Transfer the fried cutlets to a plate lined with paper towel to drain the excess fat.
- Serve hot, preferably with potatoes and your favourite salad.
Storage
Kotlety po wystudzeniu przechowuj w lodówce do 3 dni. Możesz je też zamrozić do 2 miesięcy. Podgrzewaj na patelni pod przykryciem z odrobiną wody lub w piekarniku, aby nie wyschły.
