Author Topic: Zemlbaba (Read 3090 times)

pgkevet · « **on:** August 18, 2015, 06:00:23 pm »

Or at least my version since I don't like to mess about too much or end up with a soggy mess.
Zemlbaba best translates as 'old woman of the earth' or 'earth granny'. Lots of recipes on the web but they tend to involve a mushy mess and egg custards...
Anyway:
Line a pudding bowl with buttered bread (crusts off).. butter to the bowl. Brush heavily with milk. Drop ina thicklayer of sliced apple, a few sultanas, some crushed nuts (I only had almonds handy buy wallnuts or hazel is more traditional) and a sprinkling of cinnamon and some sugar. Cover with a layer of milk soaked bread.. repeat the apple+ layer and yet again.. I managed three good layers pressed down.
Seal the top with buttered bread (butter down) brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar to get a crusty topping. I sealed around the bowl edges with soaked crusts.

Bake about 45mins.

Back when i was a kid and we were short of money that was sometimes dinner. I'm sitting here with my second helping and I'm about full....

Clarebelle · « **Reply #1 on:** August 18, 2015, 06:20:01 pm »

Sounds yummy, and easy, which is a bonus for me!

devonlady · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2015, 09:31:53 am »

That sounds lovely! My ma used to make things like that, sweet or savoury when times were hard, it was always called Eat and be Thankful!!

doganjo · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2015, 09:52:30 pm »

You can do a savoury version with vegetables and gravy or with some meat/mince

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2015, 11:04:24 pm »

strange I have never heard of it. So is it like a version of bread and butter pudding then?

pgkevet · « **Reply #5 on:** August 20, 2015, 06:46:33 am »

Quote from: waterbuffalofarmer on August 19, 2015, 11:04:24 pm

strange I have never heard of it. So is it like a version of bread and butter pudding then?

Correct. A Czech variant without the mushy mixed up middle and simplified for lazy cooks....

I suppose with modern translation engines anyone could dig about in foreign language recipe sites. Most peasant food recipes wandered across europe anyway and just got adjusted. Childhood favourites were a whole slew of different czech dumplings, potato pancakes, meatloaf, beef olives, strudel and the christmas baking...