BELARUS: Potato Pancakes (Draniki) with Pork and Sausage Stew (Machanka)

While all culturally significant dishes have multiple recipes online — and likely thousands more native to the kitchens throughout that country — these dishes both had the broadest variations of any I have researched prior. Some recipes for the pancakes had the potatoes puréed into a batter-like consistency, whereas others had them grated into wide ribbons. Some said absolutely no flour or egg, others said those ingredients were non-negotiable inclusions. In some cases the machanka is beer-based and includes only raw sausage as its protien, in others it is made with water and smoked sausage. Some recipes called for hours of simmering, others noted it came together start-to-finish in less than 15 minutes. You get the idea. Unsure if these are the most common variants, or even if there are most common variants!

Potato Pancakes (Draniki)

3 medium potatoes, either Yukon gold or Russet,~2 lbs total

1 small yellow onion

2 tablespoon salted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup sour cream for serving

1. Heat oven to 250° F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

2. Wash and grate potatoes (peeling is optional) and the onion, either using the star shaped small holes on a box grater or the smallest grate on your food processor.

3. Drain the mixture well, by squeezing small handfuls, and placing the squeezed pulp in a medium-size mixing bowl.

4. Add the egg and salt and mix until incorporated

5. Heat a straight sided griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Add one tablespoon of butter and one of oil if using a griddle, and ½ tablespoon of each if using a skillet.

6. Take a golf-ball size handful of batter and form it into a ball. On a plate or work surface, smash the ball into a thin, flat pancake ~¼-inch thick. You can coax the sides into an even circle if you'd like. Use a spatula to transfer the pancake to the griddle. Repeat until the griddle or skillet has as many pancakes as it can fit in a single layer. Cook 6 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown. (If they are getting too dark or not browning, adjust the heat accordingly.) Flip and cook another 6 minutes on the second side.

7. Transfer the cooked pancakes to the parchment paper and place in the oven while cooking the remaining pancakes.

8. Serve with sour cream.

Pork and Sausage Stew (Machanka)

1 lb pork stew meat or loin

½ lb smoked sausage (I used turkey kielbasa)

2 tablespoons butter

1 small yellow onion

½ white mushrooms

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 cup beef stock

½ cup sour cream

1. Cut pork into small bite-size pieces, ~½-inch cubed. Halve the sausage and cut into larger, bite-size chunks.

2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pork and sausage, and sauté until browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove and set aside.

3. While the meat is cooking, chop the onion into large dice. Trim and discard the mushroom ends and cut the mushrooms into quarters. Reduce heat of the Dutch oven or sauté pan to medium low and add the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and starting to turn golden. If the mixture starts to stick, add a few tablespoons of water.

4. Add the flour, salt, Herbes de Provence, coriander, and black peppers to the pot. Sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add the bay leaves and the beef stock. Return the meat and sausage to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for about 5 minutes, until the pork is cooked through.

5. Add the sour cream. Mix well and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

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FUN FACTS:

• In Belarus they celebrate Maslenitsa, otherwise known as Pancake Week. The holiday lasts for seven days, and people celebrate by baking pancakes all week long!

• Lee Harvey Oswald lived in Minsk for two years before assassinating JFK.

• The National Library, located in Minsk, is a massive diamond-shaped building with elaborate LED light displays. It often is cited as one of the ugliest buildings on the world.