Pagáče (Pagache) with Cracklings

12 servings

Pagáče, the yeasty biscuit buns that are the pride of Slovakia, are essentially little pockets of heaven. These delightful rounds have their roots in a Turkish treat called "pogaca," and they've charmed their way into the hearts of folks in Serbia and Croatia, too - that's where the Slovakian name comes from. The secret to their flaky, layered goodness is laminating the dough, often with crispy cracklings, although cheese is a tasty option as well. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even make the pork cracklings from scratch (or take the easy route and buy them). Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.

Note: Sg. pagáč , pl. pagáče

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Tom Founder

October 13, 2024

45 min.
2 h 30m.
2/5

Ingredients:

Leaven:

¼ cup of bread flour (or all-pourpose)
1 TBSP of confectioners’ sugar
2 TSP of active dry yeasts
½ cup of lukewarm milk (about 90 to 100°F)

Dough:

2 ½ cups of bread flour (or all-pourpose)
Extra flour for flouring surface
½ TSP of whole caraway seeds
½ TSP of salt
½ TSP of ground pepper
½ stick of unsalted butter - room temperature (4 TBSP)
1 egg
½ cup of lukewarm milk (about 90 to 100°F)

Filling:

1 - 2 cups of pork cracklings (store-bought or recipe here, adjust if needed)

Brush & Sprinkle with:

Tools:

1x Measuring Cups
1x Measuring Spoons
2x Small Mixing Bowl (about 1 QT)
2x French Whisk
1x Kitchen Mixer with Hook Attachment (or large mixing bowl)
1x Plate (or plastic wrap)
1x Bowl Scraper or Silicone Spatula
1x Food Processor or Blender
1x Rolling Pin
1x 2” Round Cookie Cutter (or glass)
1x Silicone Brush
2x Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper or Silicone Matt

Directions:

1. Leaven:

1.1. Place into a medium mixing bowl:

¼ cup of bread flour
1 TBSP of confectioners’ sugar
2 TSP of active dry yeasts
½ cup of lukewarm milk

Thoroughly stir with a whisk until fully combined (about 30 seconds).

1.2.

Cover with plastic wrap or plate.

1.3.

Set aside until it doubles in volume (about 15 – 30 minutes).

2. Dough:

2.1. Place into a kitchen mixer with a hook attachment:

2 ½ cups of bread flour
½ TSP of whole caraway seeds
½ TSP of salt
½ TSP of ground pepper

And shortly hand stir with a whisk.

2.2. Add:

½ stick of very soft butter
1 egg
½ cup of lukewarm milk
Leaven from step 1

Knead at a slow speed until all ingredients are partially combined.

2.3. Then increase the speed to medium-high and knead until nicely combined (about 1- 2 minutes).

Note:
The final dough is slightly sticky and can partially stick to the bottom of the bowl. Use a bowl scraper to release it from the hook and the bottom of the bowl.

3. Rising the dough:

3.1.

Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and cover it with plastic wrap or plate.

3.2.

Let it rise in a warm place until it has approximately doubled in size (about 1 – 2 hours).

4. Pork cracklings preparation:

4.1.

Prepare cracklings according to the recipe or use store-bought.

4.2.

Then let pork cracklings fully cool or remove from the refrigerator.

4.3.

Place 1 – 2 cups of pork cracklings into the kitchen food processor and process them into a paste.

4.4.

Place aside for the later steps.

Recipes

Pork Cracklings & Lard

October 13, 2024

Pork cracklings are usually served cooled and are absolutely delicious! They can be used as snacks (eat them as snacks, like snacking on potato chips), appetizers, for making Pork Crackling sspread, or even for preparation of the best version of Slovak pastry called “Pagace”. They are made from pork back fat (read more about this ingredient below) that is rendered down in a particular but very easy way to delicious meaty like a treat. The delicious side effect of this effort is also perfect pork lard, which effortlessly appears at the end of cooking. Pork lard is perfect for many things, and it can also be used as a fine layer, like spread on bread sprinkled with finely chopped onion and salt. But the best usage is for cooking – it is a perfect fat for sauteing or frying thanks to its high smoking point. Another great option is to use it as a shortening in your baked goods. It is nutritiously very rich, and it gives your food a lovely flavor. With this recipe, you will get both pork rinds and lard with minimum effort.

Tom Founder

5. Laminate pagáče dough – Phase I:

Note: Work on a lightly floured surface.

5.1.

Using a rolling pin, roll it into a square shape (it can be partially round) until you reach the desired thickness of about 1/4 inch.

5.2.

Spread the crackling paste evenly over the entire surface of the dough.

5.3.

Fold the dough into thirds – bring one-third over the middle third, then fold the second third over the first.

Demonstrated on a cheese pagach Demonstrated on a cheese pagach

5.4.

From the other side, fold it again into thirds the same way.

Demonstrated on a cheese pagach Demonstrated on a cheese pagach

5.5.

Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Demonstrated on a cheese pagach

6. Laminate pagáče dough – Phase II:

Note: Work on a lightly floured surface.

6.1.

Using a rolling pin, roll it into a square shape (it can be partially round) until you reach the desired thickness of about 1/2 inch.

6.2. Fold the dough into thirds – bring one-third over the middle third, then fold the second third over the first.

Important:

Do not fold further in this step.

6.3.

Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

7. Form and proof pagáče:

7.1.

Using a rolling pin, roll it into a desired thickness of about 1/2 inch.

7.2. Using a cookie cutter, cut out individual pagáče and place them directly on the baking sheet.

Tips:

It’s best to use a round cookie cutter with a diameter of about 2 inches, but you can experiment with other sizes too.
If you don’t have a round cookie cutter, use a glass, preferably with thin walls.
After you cut all the round shapes, place the remaining unused dough on the baking sheet – it won’t be as pretty as the round pagáče, but it will taste equally delicious and give you a nice snack before serving the pagáče.

7.3.

Place the baking sheet aside and let the pagáče proof (rest) for about 15 minutes at room temperature.

8. Final preparation & baking:

8.1.

Set oven to preheat to 350°F.

8.2.

Crack one egg into the mixing bowl and then whisk thoroughly.

8.3. Brush all pagáče with the whisked egg and gently sprinkle with salt crystals and caraway.

Important:
If you plan to not each pagáče soon after baking (within about 8 – 10 hours), consider skipping the salt crystals since they will eventually start melting and could soak the pagáče.

8.4.

Bake in a preheated oven until they are fully baked and turned to a nice golden color (about 10 – 15 minutes).

8.5.

Remove from the oven and let fully or partially cool (yes, pagáče can also be served warm!).

About the Author:

TomFounder

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Published Recipes: 238
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Location: Iowa, USA
Member since: 2023-02-02

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