This classic Polish street food is quick and easy to make at home and you only need very few ingredients that you most likely already have at home.
When I went to Poland a few years back, this was one of the foods that I kept coming back to because it was just so good. Now, I am a huge mushroom lover so it's no wonder I fell in love with zapiekanka. Growing up in a Polish-American household, we actually didn't eat this that much for whatever reason. My mom preferred to make a version of this concept that we called "French Bread Pizza" which was the same thing but no mushroom filling. All jokes aside, zapiekanka really is basically a Mushroom French Bread Pizza, if that's how you want to explain it to friends that ask.
A little bit about the history of zapiekanka: Zapiekanka is about as Polish as hamburgers are American. Zapiekanka became a very popular street food in Poland under communism and has recently made a comeback but with an artisanal makeover. When it was created, mushrooms were a cheap and hearty filling that made an ersatz substitute for Western delicacies like hot dogs.
"Zapiekanka" means "bake". There are other Polish dishes that use the word "zapiekanka", like zapiekanka jabłka z makaronem (a baked apple noodle dessert). But if you just say "zapiekanka", Poles will think of this mushroom dish.
I have actually converted a few mushroom haters with zapiekanka. The key is to let the mushrooms sit at a high heat to get really browned and intense in flavor and wait to salt them until after cooking so they don't get watery and gray.
The recipe I am presenting here is the basic version. However, it is also common to add meats and sausage to the mushrooms. The sauces I put on top were ketchup and a Cane's Style Chicken sauce (it has some combination of mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and tons of black pepper). The ketchup is classic, but one of the zapiekanki that we had in Poland had a similar sauce to the chicken sauce. On that note of ketchup, Polish ketchup isn't as sweet as American ketchup. If you want something closer to the real deal, get some reduced sugar ketchup or visit your local Polish or Eastern European store. Also, I sometimes like to use bolillo rolls instead of a baguette because that is easier to find where I live.
Mushroom Zapiekanka
- 1 baguette or 4 bolillo rolls
- 2 lbs. mushrooms, your choice (I used button)
- 1/2 onion, diced.
- 3/4 cup tomato product (sauce/paste/ketchup)
- 1 cup mozzarella or mozzarella-style nondairy cheese
- ketchup and/or chicken sauce, to top
Dice or slice your mushrooms. Sauté with oil on high heat until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms aside and saute your onion.
Once golden brown, add onions to mushrooms and mix until well combined.
Split your bread lengthwise and press the inside of the bread to create a "trench" (or if you're in a snack-y mood, pinch out some of the inner fluff to munch on)
Slather the inside of the bread with your tomato product of choice. Fill the "trench" with your mushroom filling. Top with cheese.
Put these on a lined baking sheet in a preheated 350F oven for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Once out of the oven, drizzle with sauce of choice and serve. Smacznego!
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