Summer's special: Regional flavour and the timeless allure of polewka soup

Regional Slavic cuisine is simple but truly delicious. Our culinary journey will take us to regions of Poland to discover local delicacies.

During visits to Greater Poland, you might encounter a soup called "polewka." I'm not referring to the black one made from duck blood, but the white, creamy soup made from sour milk.

Polewka is a simple yet delicious soup that has graced tables for generations. It is a true home cooking classic, based on the traditional recipes of our grandparents and great-grandparents. The ingredient list is short and modest, as is often the case with regional cuisines. However, this does not mean it is not tasty. On the contrary, it is proof of the creativity of homemakers who could make something delicious from essential ingredients.

The soup is sour, refreshing, and filling—it's simply delicious. When made at home, it immediately brings back memories of childhood.

Ingredients:

• 1 litre of water,
• 1 litre of buttermilk or sour milk,
• 250ml of milk,
• 2 tablespoons of rye flour,
• Salt and pepper to taste,
• 6-7 potatoes,
• 250g of cottage cheese,
• 150-200g of smoked bacon.

Preparation:

1. In a pot, bring 1 litre of water to a boil.
2. Add the sour milk to the boiling water and mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of rye flour in 250ml of regular milk. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the boiling soup and mix thoroughly.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Boil the potatoes in their skins.
6. Cut the bacon into cubes and fry in a pan until crispy.
7. Pour the ready soup into deep plates and sprinkle with crumbled cottage cheese. On a separate plate, serve the boiled potatoes with bacon topping.

Delicious polewka from sour milk is ready. Enjoy your meal!