Krakowska Zapiekanka

Krakowska Zapiekanka

Recipes with Krakowska

The famous Polish street food: a toasted baguette half loaded with sliced Krakowska, sauteed mushrooms, and melted cheese. A Krakow classic from the Plac Nowy market.

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 baguettes, halved lengthwise
  • 250g Krakowska, thinly sliced
  • 300g white mushrooms, sliced
  • 200g shredded mozzarella or Gouda
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Ketchup for drizzling
  • Fresh chives, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Steps

1

Preheat oven to 200C (390F) with the broiler on. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the mushrooms and onion for 6-8 minutes until golden and all liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.

2

Place the baguette halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Spread the sauteed mushroom mixture evenly over each half.

3

Layer the Krakowska slices over the mushrooms, overlapping slightly. Top generously with shredded cheese.

4

Broil for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown in spots. Watch carefully -- it can burn quickly.

5

Remove from oven, drizzle with ketchup in a zigzag pattern (this is traditional, not optional), and scatter chopped chives on top. Cut into portions and serve hot.

Tips

For the most authentic experience, the ketchup drizzle is non-negotiable -- it is part of the zapiekanka tradition. Some modern versions use garlic sauce instead, but purists stick with ketchup.