Kartacze or Kołduny

• Kartacze, sometimes called kołduny , are potato dumplings, stuffed with meat and then boiled.
• They are very similar to pyzy  but they are a different shape – long rolls rather than round balls.
• Traditionally they are served with some skwarki – crispy smoked bacon bits or slightly charred onions, a mixture of the two or just melted butter poured over them.
• There are many recipes, some made with raw potato, others with boiled or steamed potatoes and some using a mixture of the two.
• I have found that using a 50:50 mixture of  fine grated raw potatoes and boiled potatoes gives the best results.
• You will need some flour, which can be wheat flour, potato flour or a mixture of the two (I prefer just wheat).
• You also need eggs or egg yolks – around 1 egg to 1 kilo of potatoes.
• For the filling you needs some cooked meat such as from a klops – meat loaf, cooked kotlety (meat balls/burgers) or meat filling for pierogi.

Ingredients

• 750g of raw potatoes
• 750g of cold boiled potatoes
• 1 egg and 1 yolk
• 1-2 tablespoons of plain flour  & extra for dusting
• Salt

Method

• Grate the raw potatoes using a fine grater.
• Place the potatoes on a clean tea cloth.
• Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
• Mash or use a ricer to get the boiled potatoes smooth and lump free.
• Mix the two sorts of potato together in a large bowl.
• Add the egg and the yolk and mix together.
• Add enough flour to make a stiff dough.
• Add some salt.

Ingredients – Filling

• 250g of cooked and then minced or finely chopped meat(usually pork)
  such as from:
  • Klops – meat loaf
  • Cooked minced kotlety (meat balls/burgers)
  • Meat filling for pierogi.
• Half a grated onion
• 25g of melted butter
• 1-2 tablespoons of dried breadcrumbs – bułka tarta
• Salt & pepper

Method – Filling

• Mix all the ingredients together to make a stiff filling.
• Season to taste.

Making the kartacze

• You are aiming for  a thick roll.
• Take a small handful of the mixture and shape it into a flat oval.
• Place this onto a floured board.
• Add a tablespoon amount of the meat filling.
• Bring the potato mixture around the filling and with floured hands shape into a roll.
• Seal up the short ends with the potato dough.
• Repeat this with the rest of the potato mixture and meat filling mixture.
• Have ready a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a bit of sunflower oil..
• Place around 4 kartacze at a time into the hot water.
• Let them rise to the top then simmer for 8 – 9  minutes –  not too long as they will start to disintegrate.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander over a pan.
• *
• Place into a warm serving dish and top with skwarki – crispy smoked bacon bits, slightly charred onions, a mixture of the two or just melted butter.
• Keep the dish warm and continue adding to the kartacze in the dish as they cook.
• The fat in the topping stops them sticking together.