Baked Chili Maple Bacon

Kick your brunch bacon up a notch by brushing it with chili-spiked maple syrup. This baked chili maple bacon is cooked in the oven, for crunchy bacon without the splattering grease.

I am a huge fan of bacon for breakfast or brunch, especially when it is combined with sweet and spicy elements like chili peppers and maple syrup.  Today my Sunday Supper group is sharing brunch recipes that can be made ahead of time. I suggest you bookmark this post for Mother's Day.

Ingredients
1 lb or 450g thick cut smoked streaky bacon
1 small hot red chili, stem removed
1/8 cup or 30ml maple syrup

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Place your bacon strips single file on wire cooling racks set in two baking pans.

Use a mortar and pestle to grind the chili pepper, even the seeds if you like things spicy, into a fine paste. Add in the maple syrup and stir well to combine.

Bake the bacon for 20 minutes, switching the pans from top to bottom shelves in the oven midway through.

Remove from the oven and brush with the chili maple syrup. Return to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes.

Remove from the oven and turn the slices of bacon over. Brush with the rest of the chili maple syrup. Return the bacon to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until the bacon is done to your liking.

Enjoy warm or to save it for the next day, wrap the baked chili maple bacon in foil and store in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven the next morning, still wrapped in the foil, or remove the foil to warm in the microwave.

Many thanks to our event manager, Cricket of Cricket's Confections and our host, Cindy of Cindy's Recipes and Writings. Check out these great links from our Sunday Supper tastemakers.

Make Ahead Sunday Supper Brunch Recipes

Breakfast Pastries

• Apple and Bacon Cornmeal Scones by Caroline’s Cooking
• Lemon Crumb Cake by Life Tastes Good
• Nana’s New York Crumb Cake by The Crumby Cupcake
• Overnight Nutty Coffee Cake by Family Around The Table

Eggs

• Asparagus Quiche in Hash Brown Crust by Wimpy Vegetarian 
• Baked Deviled Eggs with Toast Points by Turnips 2 Tangerines
• Ham and Cheese Empanadas by Asian In America
• Make Ahead Baked Monte Cristo Cassarole by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Overnight Breakfast Casserole by Soulfully Made
• Sorrel, Chive & Duck Egg Frittata by Wholistic Woman
• Sous Vide Egg Bites by Cricket’s Confections

Sides and Veggies

• Asparagus Tart with Goat Cheese and Spring Greens by Monica’s Table
• Baked Chili Maple Bacon by Food Lust People Love
• Blackberry Orange Oatmeal Bowls by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette by Helpful Homemade
• Vegetable Lasagna by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Sweets

• Carrot Cake Pancakes by Brunch-n-Bites
• Citrus Crepes with White Chocolate Drizzle by Gourmet Everyday
• Flourless Chocolate Torte by Pies and Plots
• No Bake Peanut Butter Pie by The Freshman Cook
• Raspberry Mascarpone French Toast Casserole by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

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Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese Bundt #BundtBakers

This bacon broccoli mac and cheese Bundt is a delicious main course made with a wonderful cheesy sauce that includes heavy cream, extra sharp cheddar and five whole eggs.

I’m not sure why I did but when I decided to host this month’s Bundt Bakers event, I chose cheese as the main ingredient. Cheese means that both sweet and savory bakes are an option! This could not have come at a better time.

Like the rest of the world, we’ve been self isolating for several weeks because of the novel coronavirus. We don’t eat a lot of sweets so I really wanted to make something we would eat for a main course, rather than a dessert. Thank God for cheese.

Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese Bundt

This Bundt is much more than just baking your usual mac and cheese in a Bundt pan. The bacon, broccoli and eggs make this a full meal. Leftovers, if you should be so fortunate as to have any, are just as delicious the next day.

Ingredients
12 oz or 340g large elbow macaroni
5 1/3 oz or 150g small broccoli florets (no stems –about 1/2 small crown)
12 oz or 340g (7-8 slices) thick cut bacon
1/4 cup or 56g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the Bundt pan
1/3 cup or 41g flour, plus more for flouring the Bundt pan
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups or 360ml milk (I used 2 percent fat)
1/2 cup or 120ml heavy cream
12 oz or 340g extra sharp cheddar cheese (or a combo of your favorite cheeses), grated
1 teaspoon mustard powder (I use Colman’s)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
5 eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese Bundt

While this recipe calls for only broccoli florets, don’t discard the stems after you’ve cut off the little florets. They are not only edible once you trim the hard outer stalk, they are delicious in a salad.

Method
Thoroughly grease and flour your 12-cup Bundt pan. I suggest using a classic design since we are baking with cheese, which can tend to stick. Bundt pans with too many nooks and crannies would be asking for trouble.

Cook your elbow macaroni in salted boiling water, according to the package instructions. Add in the broccoli florets for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain the macaroni and broccoli florets and rinse with cool water. Set aside in the colander to drain completely.

Meanwhile, cut the bacon into pieces and fry them in a skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on some paper towels.

Remove all but 1/4 cup or 60ml of the bacon fat and save in a clean jar for future recipes.

Add the butter to the skillet and once it has melted, Add in the flour and stir to create a light roux without any lumps.

Add in the onion and garlic and sauté till they are softened and translucent.

Turn the heat under your skillet right down to simmer and whisk the milk and cream into the roux.

Raise the flame a little and cook, whisking all the while, until the sauce thickens. This takes just a few minutes. You know you have the right thickness when a spatula pulled through it leaves a brief show of pan, then the sauce flows right back in.

Toss the mustard powder, smoked paprika and cayenne with the grated cheese then add it to the white sauce.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the cheese is melted. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the 5 eggs with salt.

Whisk your cooling cheese sauce into the eggs a tablespoon or two at a time, until it’s all mixed in.
You don’t want to add all of the warm cheese sauce at once since the heat will cook the eggs and you’ll end up with eggy lumps. No one wants that.

Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan with some of the bacon bits.

Stir the cooled macaroni, broccoli and the rest of the bacon into the egg/cheese sauce mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the Bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes in your preheated oven.

Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and then loosen the sides and around the center hole with a wooden skewer. Invert on a plate to serve.

Enjoy!

Check out all the other lovely Bundts with cheese!

• Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese Bundt from Food Lust People Love
• Chocolate Cream Cheese Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
• Cream Cheese Bundt Cake from Sneha's Recipe
• Cream Cheese Swirl Coffee Cake from Patyco Candybar
• Easy Peasy Cheesy Pull Apart Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mascarpone Lemon Cud Bundt Cake from Nunca es Demasiado Dulce
• Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bundtlettes from Palatable Pastime
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Bundt from Sweet Sensations

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our home page. c

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Spicy Roasted Bacon Tomato Cauliflower

The rich garlicky sun-dried tomato pesto adds a lovely flavor to the cauliflower as it roasts in a little bacon fat. A generous sprinkling of crispy bacon and Parmesan finish this dish to perfection. This one is a side dish that wouldn't mind taking center stage.

Cauliflower is one of my very favorite vegetables as you can see from the many cauliflower recipes on this site. From main dishes like savory cheesy cauliflower cake (it's a beauty!) and curried cauliflower chicken pilaf, great brunch recipes like cauliflower cheese waffles and cauliflower Roquefort tart, to my absolute favorite cauliflower cheese pie with crunchy potato crust (just to name a few!) I think I've featured cauliflower more than any other vegetable.

This particular dish is another favorite. It checks of all of my boxes.

Cheesy. It's got your Parmesan.
Spicy. Fresh chili pepper for the win.
Bacon. You betcha!
Easy. Nothing easier than roasting. Pop it on a pan. Roast!
Cauliflower.  One whole head. That said, this recipe is REALLY easy to double for a bigger crowd.

Check, check, check, check and check. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. And if you are a fan of cauliflower too, you are going to want to scroll on down to see the link list of all the cauliflower recipes my Sunday Supper friends are sharing today.

Spicy Roasted Bacon Tomato Cauliflower

This recipe is adapted from these two recipes from Eggton and Steamy Kitchen.

Ingredients
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (dry, not packed in oil – about 1 1/4 oz or 35g by weight)
4 slices streaky thin cut smoky bacon (about 3 1/8 oz or 90g)
1 head cauliflower (Mine weighed 1 2/3 lbs or 765g)
5 medium garlic cloves
1 hot chili pepper
3/4 oz or 20g grated Parmesan cheese, plus an equal amount for serving
Olive oil

Method
Place your sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and pour hot water over them. Set aside to soak and plump up.

Chop your bacon into small pieces and spread them around on a large baking pan. Put the pan in the oven and turn it on to preheat to 400°F or 200°C. The bacon will bake and get crispy as the oven preheats so keep an eye on it.

Meanwhile, cut the green leaves off of your cauliflower and break or cut it into florets.

Check on your bacon!

Drain the tomatoes but keep the water. Put the tomatoes, garlic, chili pepper and  Parmesan in the blender or food processor. Add some of the tomato soaking water and process until smooth. If it is too thick, just keep adding the water, a little at a time. This needs to be thick enough to coat the cauliflower yet thin enough to make it into all the little crevices in the florets.

Check on your bacon in the oven. If it’s already crispy, take the pan from the oven and use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon pieces, leaving the bacon fat behind in the pan.

Put your cauliflower in a large bowl and pour the sauce over it.

Stir well to coat the florets.

Put your sauced cauliflower florets in the baking pan, stem side up, and separated so that they can get roasted.  If you make a big pile, they’ll just steam.

Roast for 15-20 minutes in your preheated oven, then turn the cauliflower florets over to roast the other side. Drizzle with a little olive oil or more bacon fat if you have some handy.

Put the pan back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is done to your liking.

To serve, scrape the roasted cauliflower, and all the good, roasted sticky bits from the pan, into a serving bowl. Sprinkle on the crispy bacon pieces and another generous handful of freshly grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!

Check out all the Sunday Supper cauliflower recipes! Many thanks to our host Caroline of Caroline's Cooking and our event manager Christie of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures for all of their behind the scenes work.

Creative Cauliflower Starters and Sides

• Bang Bang Califlower Bites by Sunday Supper Movement
• Cauliflower Bacon Gratin by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• German Cauliflower Salad by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Loaded Cauliflower Casserole by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Loaded Smashed Cauliflower Bites by My Life Cookbook
• Spicy Roasted Bacon Tomato Cauliflower by Food Lust People Love
• Vegetarian Nachos by Simple and Savory

Make My Cauliflower a Main Dish

• Cheesy Cauliflower Soup by Hardly A Goddess
• Low-Carb Cauliflower Rice Pilaf with Ground Beef & Cabbage by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Oven Baked Honey Soy Sesame Cauliflower by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Roasted Cauliflower and Vegetable Soup by Palatable Pastime
• Roasted Cauliflower Steak with Salsa Verde by Caroline's Cooking
• Salmon with Creamy Cauliflower Farro by Cooking Chat
• Shrimp Stir Fry with Cauli Rice by Our Good Life
• Spicy Cauliflower Tacos by Pies and Plots

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Bacon Leek Flamiche #BreadBakers

This bacon leek flamiche is my version of the traditional French recipe, made with a springy yeast dough crust, topped with smoked bacon, leeks, green onions, cream and cheese.

When our Bread Bakers host for this month announced the theme a few months back – flatbreads with yeast – I duly made a note in my calendar but I didn’t really give it that much thought. After all, almost every country or culture in the world has a flatbread they call their own. I knew my options were going to be many and various, and the hardest thing was going to be to choose just one.

Then I picked up last month’s issue (March 2018) of one of my favorite recipe inspiration sources, delicious.magazine from the UK. (The Australian version is also fabulous and I always bought it when we lived in Malaysia since our imported seasonal produce often came from down under.) On page 121, there was a recipe for a leek flamiche, a French flatbread I’d never heard of.

Clearly a little research was necessary. Turns out that flamiche means different things to different people. For some, it’s made with puff pastry. Others prefer shortcrust as the base. Still more bakers use a brioche-like dough for the crust. Sometimes the crust is complete flat like pizza, and sometimes it has a raised edge.

They all seem to agree on a semi-soft cheese in the topping though, and many include leeks and crispy fried smoked bacon bits.

Bacon Leek Flamiche

This recipe is adapted from several I found on the internet, but I am grateful to delicious. magazine for introducing me to this wonderful dish. The dough for the crust is quite sticky so I recommend using a stand mixer with a dough hook for kneading, if you have one. Otherwise, get ready for a workout!

Ingredients
For the base:
1/2 cup or 120ml warm milk
1 teaspoon dry yeast
2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cups or 280-315g strong white bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup or 57g butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, at room temperature

For the topping:
5 slices thick cut smoked bacon, chopped (about 175g)
13 1/4 oz or 375g trimmed leeks
1 3/4 oz or 50g green onions, green and white part
salt and ground pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup or 120ml whipping cream
7 3/4 oz or 220g semi-soft ripe cheese, like Pavé d'Auge. (The orange rind is gorgeous!)

Tip: Semi-soft cheese is easier to slice if it is well chilled. I pop mine into the freezer about 20-30 minutes before slicing and recommend you do the same.

Method
Dissolve the yeast in warm milk and set aside for a few minutes to make sure your yeast is active. It should start to foam and bubble.

In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer, sprinkle the salt on to 2 1/4 cups or 280g flour, then pour in the milk/yeast mixture, the egg, and melted butter.

Mix thoroughly and then switch to the bread hook and knead until the dough loses its stickiness and is smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. You can add a little more flour if you need to while kneading.

Shape the dough into a ball and put it back in the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or cling film and put it in a warm place till the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, rinse the leeks and onions and remove the roots. Cut them all into slices, discarding any hard pieces. Set aside a small handful of the tender green onion tops for garnish.

Brown the chopped bacon in a large skillet. Scoop the pieces from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan and tip in the bigger pile of the sliced leeks and onions. Fry them gently over a low heat for 15 minutes or until softened, stirring regularly. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Once your dough is sufficiently risen, preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C).

Line a tart pan (11 in or 28cm) with baking parchment and press out the dough evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Prick extravagantly with a fork.

Set aside a tiny handful of the bacon for garnish then spoon the leeks, onions and the bigger pile of bacon into the crust.

Beat the eggs and cream in a small bowl, using a whisk.  Season with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Pour about 3/4 of the egg mixture over the filling.

Cut your chilled cheese into about 12 slices. Lay them on top of the bacon and leeks, as you see fit. I put 8 radiating out from the middle, then cut the last four in half lengthwise and placed them between the other slices and in the middle of the circle.

Top with the rest of the egg mixture, then sprinkle on your reserved bacon bits and green onions.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling is puffy and the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to Sonia from Sonlicious for choosing such a great theme and for hosting Bread Bakers this month.

• Amritsari Paneer Kulcha - Indian Flat Bread from Sonlicious
• Bacon Leek Flamiche from Food Lust People Love
• Chole Kulche Delhi Style from The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
• Creamy Garlic Flatbread Pizza from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Detroit-Style Pepperoni Pizza from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Foccacia Bread from Cook with Renu
• Garlic Naan Bread from Palatable Pastime
• Manakish Za’atar from Herbivore Cucina
• Methi Naan from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Naan from Ambrosia
• Nángbĭng from A Shaggy Dough Story
• Quick Beer Crust Pizza from Cook’s Hideout
• Sourdough Flatbread from Sneha's Recipe
• Yemeni Malooga Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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One-Pan Full English Fry-up

Full English Fry-up is a quick, easy and delicious one-pan breakfast that includes all the traditional parts - bacon, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms and eggs.

Years ago, I was watching a Jamie Oliver show – one of his very first ones from the era of his second published cookbook – and he was working all night in a friend’s restaurant, baking the bread for the next day.  After putting in some long, hot hours, he started a one-pan fry-up.  It reminded me of our very late dinners (or very early breakfasts) back in Abu Dhabi.  As I mentioned way back in January, we often cooked a full English breakfast at the end of a night out.  It is indeed a delight after a long night out, but they are equally tasty earlier in the evening as an alternative dinner.

We often have breakfast for dinner and the rest of the family would like pancakes or waffles, and I mostly give in, but this would be my choice every time.

A genuine full English breakfast would also include black pudding, but my local grocery store was out of stock, and baked beans, which are not my favorite.  If my elder daughter and/or husband were in residence, I would have had to add the Heinz baked beans.  They have to be Heinz.  Just so you know.

Also, I’ve made enough for two diners but, in this same pan, I’ve added bacon and sausages enough for four and still have room for four eggs.  Double either the mushrooms or tomatoes (not both) and you’ll be fine.

Ingredients to serve two
2 medium tomatoes
4 medium brown mushrooms
2 rashers or slices back bacon
2 good quality English sausages
Olive oil
2 fresh eggs
Sea salt
Black pepper
Bread for toast, and butter, if desired.

Method
Cut off the stem end of your tomatoes and then cut them in half through the middle, so you see a cross section of the tomato.  Clean your mushrooms and trim the hard stems.

Add your bacon and sausage to a large non-stick skillet.  Cook until the bacon and sausage are both browned.

Drizzle in a little olive oil if the bacon and sausage haven't given off any grease and add in the halved tomatoes, cut side down, and mushrooms and cook until they are also browned and roasty looking. Then turn them over to brown the other side.

Arrange the bacon, sausage, tomato halves and mushrooms evenly around the pan and make spaces for frying your eggs.

Put your bread in the toaster, if serving.

Crack one egg at a time in a small bowl and gently add each to the pan.

Push the button down on the toaster.  Cook your eggs until they are the doneness you desire.  We like runny yellows, so this doesn’t take but a few minutes.  Season the eggs with sea salt and pepper.

Remove the toast from the toaster and butter, if desired.  Serve each person bacon, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, an egg and toast.


Enjoy!

If you love breakfast for dinner like we do, you’ll want to have a look at all the other lovely Sunday Supper dishes this week.  Breakfast for dinner is the best!

• Almond Rice Crepes Stuffed With Sweet Potatoes & Peas from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Apple, Bacon, and Dubliner Cheese Stuffed French Toast from Neighborfood
• Bacon ‘n Eggs Bread Pudding from gotta get baked
• Bacon & Brie Potato Bread Strata with Roasted Pears from Eat, Move, Shine
• Bacon and Egg Waffles from The Urban Mrs
• Bacon Egg and Potato Breakfast Tacos from Cookin’ Mimi
• Bacon, Spinach and Tomato Breakfast Pizza from Runner’s Tales
• Baked Berry French Toast from Table For Seven
• Banana Waffles with Peanut Butter Syrup from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Basic Vegan Waffles from KillerBunnies, Inc
• Breakfast Bowls from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Copycat Japanese McDonald’s from Ninja Baking
• Cream Dried Beef and Waffles from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Crumpets with Whipped Orange Honey from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Crustless Spinach Quiche from The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Dark Chocolate, Orange & Pistachio Greek Yogurt Cups from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Denver Breakfast Ring from Curious Cuisiniere
• Dulce de Leche Stuffed French Toast from Basic N Delicious
• Elderberry Flower Pancakes from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Florentine Benedict from Supper for a Steal
• Gluten Free Breakfast Pizza from Blueberries And Blessings
• Greek Frittata from Casa de Crews
• Homemade Lox from Growing Up Gabel
• Italian Turkey Meatballs (With a Secret) from What Smells So Good?
• Joe’s Special, the Original San Francisco Treat from  target="_blank"Webicurean
• Kale, Bacon, Brown Rice Crustless Quiche from Shockingly Delicious
• Leek, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche from H target="_blank"ip Foodie Mom
• Oatmeal Ice Cream from Treats & Trinkets
• One Pan Full English Fry-up from Food Lust People Love
• Open Faced BTC Sandwich from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Prosciutto, Gorgonzola and Rosemary Strata from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Red Pepper and Egg Galette from Healthy. Delicious.
• Saucy Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sliders from Daily Dish Recipes
• Sausage breakfast casserole from My cute bride
• Seattle Sandwiches (Lox, Shmear, & A Fried Egg) from Juanita’s Cocina
• Sour Cherry Crisp from Pies and Plots
• Steak & Egg Bagel Sandwich from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
• Steak and Egg Tostadas from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Tres Leches Pancakes from La Cocina de Leslie
• Waffles – One Plate, Two Ways: Sweet & Savory from Foxes Love Lemons
• Zucchini Pancakes with Sautéed Tomatoes and Feta from  target="_blank"Ruffles & Truffles

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Baba Kartoflana - Polish Potato Pie

This baba kartoflana or Polish potato pie is a super rich comfort dish baked with grated potatoes, eggs and bacon. It makes a great main course or side dish.



I have to be honest, I didn’t know much about Poland or Polish cuisine but when Polish recipes was chosen as our theme for this month’s Baking Bloggers, I started my research close to home. I knew from the many festivals (pre-Corona, of course) that there is a vibrant Polish community in Houston and the broader state. 

Indeed, here in Texas, there are many towns that boast Polish ancestry but the oldest Polish settlement in the whole United States is a place called Panna Maria (Virgin Mary in Polish) which is not far from San Antonio, about a three-hour drive from my home.

The first Polish settlers arrived in December of 1854 and impressively, the original oak tree under which they celebrated the very first mass is still standing! In September of 1856 the very first permanent Polish Catholic Church in the United States - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church - was consecrated there.

In another first, Panna Maria was also the location of the first private Catholic school in the United States. It’s a community that is still going strong. In fact, they are currently building a heritage center to safeguard their history for future generations. I’m looking forward to being able to visit there when we are able to take road trips again. 

Meanwhile, I will console myself with making baba kartoflana aka Polish potato pie, a comfort dish if there ever were one. Or perhaps I'll try one of the other recipes my Baking Blogger friends are sharing. Make sure to scroll down below my recipe to see the links.

Baba Kartoflana - Polish Potato Pie

This recipe is adapted from one on Cook in Polish. The author suggests you can reduce the calories in this dish by omitting the bacon – but don’t do it! Bacon makes everything better. 

Ingredients
2.2 lbs or 1 kg floury potatoes (baking potatoes, like Russets)
2 yellow onions (about 12 oz or 340g)
12 oz or 340g bacon
2 large eggs
1/4 cup or 61g whole milk Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves, plus extra for garnish, if desired
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered nutmeg)
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
Peel and dice the onions. In a large pan, fry half of the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Once it has cooled, chop or crumble the bacon.

Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat (reserving the balance for greasing your baking pan) and then add the onions to the bacon fat and cook until lightly golden. Put the onions on a plate to cool.

In a large bowl, beat your eggs and yogurt together, along with the marjoram, salt, nutmeg and a few generous grinds of black pepper.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Use the leftover bacon fat to grease an 8x8 in or 23x23cm baking pan (or a 9 1/2 in or 24cm iron skillet.) Sprinkle in half of the bacon crumbles.

Peel then grate the potatoes on a fine grater. (I used my food processor for this step!) Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Immediately add the potatoes to the egg mixture, stirring to completely combine. This will help ensure the potatoes don’t turn brown.

Add in the cooked onions and the other half of the bacon crumbles and stir well.

Spoon the potato mixture into your prepared baking vessel.

Cover the top with the remaining uncooked bacon slices.

Bake the baba kartoflana in your preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until the top is golden and the bacon is browned and crispy.

Sprinkle on a little extra marjoram for garnish, if desired. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes, then cut in slices to serve. The baba kartoflana is very rich, truly comfort food, but it's not stodgy at all. Lift the slices out carefully or they crumble a bit. I suggest serving them with a lightly dressed green salad.

Enjoy!

Check out all the wonderful Poland-inspired dishes my Baking Blogger friends are sharing today! Many thanks to our host and leader, Sue of Palatable Pastime!

• Baba Kartoflana - Polish Potato Pie from Food Lust People Love
• Babki Śmietankowe (Cream Tarts) from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Kapusta Casserole – Polish Cabbage, Potato, and Bacon Bake from Making Miracles
• Karpatka (Polish Carpathian Cream Cake) from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Kolaczki - Jam-Filled Polish Cookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Kotlety Ziemniaczane from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Mom Klik's Breaded Pork Chops from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Oven Braised Pork with Sour Cream (Karkówka w śmietanie) from Palatable Pastime
• Piernik - Polish Gingerbread Cake from Caroline's Cooking
• Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls from Cookaholic Wife
• Veg Pierogi Casserole from Sneha's Recipe

Baking Bloggers is a friendly group of food bloggers who vote on a shared theme and then post recipes to fit that theme one the second Monday of each month. If you are a food blogger interested in joining in, inquire at our Baking Bloggers Facebook group. We'd be honored if you would join us in our baking adventures.

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