Skilandis Užkandžiai
Recipes with Skilandis
Užkandžiai means appetisers or snacks in Lithuanian. This is the cold platter that opens a proper Lithuanian meal or stands alone as something to eat with beer: dark rye, paper-thin skilandis, curd cheese with spring onion, fermented cucumbers, pickled mushrooms, and raw garlic. No cooking required. The arrangement does the work. It is the Lithuanian version of a charcuterie board, rooted in the cellar and the smokehouse rather than the French dairy tradition.
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
0 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- 120 g skilandis, sliced paper-thin
- 6 slices dark Lithuanian rye bread, cut into halves
- 150 g varškė (Lithuanian curd cheese) or dry cottage cheese
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- Salt
- 4 fermented cucumbers (rauginti agurkai), sliced
- 150 g pickled forest mushrooms, drained
- 2 cloves garlic, halved
- Sprigs of fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
Steps
Remove the skilandis from the refrigerator 15 minutes before assembling the plate.
Mix the curd cheese with the chopped spring onions, sour cream, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust. The mixture should be moist enough to spread but not runny.
Arrange the rye bread halves across a wooden board or large plate. Spread some pieces with the curd cheese mixture. Leave others plain.
Drape the thin skilandis slices over the plain bread pieces, folding them loosely so they have volume rather than lying flat.
Fill the gaps on the board with the fermented cucumber slices, pickled mushrooms, and garlic clove halves. Scatter dill sprigs over the whole plate. Add caraway seeds if using.
Tips
The board should look abundant but not cluttered. The skilandis needs space so the slices can be picked up without disturbing everything else. Serve Lithuanian amber beer or cold gira alongside. The garlic halves are for rubbing on the plain bread before eating the skilandis, not for eating whole.