Polish Culinary [#05] - Lublin Onion Cake

Lublin onion flatbread 

Thinking of the traditional flavours of Lublin, one immediately envisions the distinctive Lublin onion flatbread. Loved as much as it is hated. In the fifth installment of the Culinary Poland series, we will present a brief history of the most popular traditional product from Lublin and a simple recipe for how to make it with ingredients that we almost always have at home.

The history of the onion flatbread is closely tied to Jewish cuisine. Legend has it that King Casimir the Great himself ate onion flatbreads in the fourteenth century, and in the first Polish cookbook from 1682, we can find a recipe for onion cake. The first official mentions of the onion flatbread appeared around the nineteenth century and refer to a recipe passed down from generation to generation among Lublin Jews. After World War II, it quickly spread throughout the region. Its success is attributed to its taste, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness.

Currently, we find onion flatbreads, onion cakes, and onion pies in bakeries – however, only a few bakeries in the region have the certification that allows them to sell under the original name. In 2007, Lublin onion flatbread was added to the list of traditional products, and since 2014, it has been a regional product protected throughout the European Union. Its listing means it should have a round shape, a size of about 15-20 cm, a golden colour, a distinct onion taste and aroma, and the surface should be topped with onions and poppy seeds.

While visiting Lublin, we can include a visit to the Onion Flatbread Museum in our plans – there we will learn about its history, the traditional recipe, taste the product, and participate in workshops.

In the meantime, we can try to prepare onion flatbreads ourselves at home using a few ingredients that are usually found in our kitchens – it’s a great idea for spending an afternoon with children.

What we will need to prepare the dough:

• 0.5 kg of wheat flour
• 1 cup of milk (approx. 250 ml)
• 1 packet of dry yeast or ¼ block of fresh yeast
• 1 level teaspoon of salt
• 1 level teaspoon of sugar
• 60 grams of butter
• 1 egg

What we will need to prepare the filling:

• 2-3 onions
• 2-3 tablespoons of poppy seeds
• 0.5 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of oil (e.g., rapeseed, sunflower)

Additionally, to brush the onion flatbreads before baking, we will need 1 egg or a little warm milk.

How to prepare the onion flatbreads:

1. First, it’s worth preparing the dough so that it has time to rise. Melt the butter and let it cool. We put all the other ingredients for the dough into a large bowl (if using fresh yeast, dissolve them first in slightly warm milk).
2. Combine all the ingredients and knead for about 10-15 minutes until the dough is elastic. Place it in a bowl greased with oil or dusted with flour and cover it with a cloth (we can also put it in the turned-off oven).
3. Leave the dough for about 1-1.5 hours; it should double in size during this time.
4. Now, prepare the filling – peel and dice the onion. In a frying pan, pour in the oil and add the onion and salt. Fry it until it becomes translucent, then add the poppy seeds. The filling is ready – let it cool. The prepared onion will not be so sharp in taste.
5. Prepare a baking tray – place baking paper on it. For this amount of dough, we will need two large trays.
6. Knead the risen dough once more and tear off pieces of the size we would like our onion flatbreads to be. Make balls and flatten them with your hand on the baking tray.
7. Place the filling in the centre of the flatbreads and allow them to rise for about half an hour. After this time, brush them with the beaten egg or warm milk.
8. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and bake the onion flatbreads for about 20-25 minutes (depending on size).
9. Enjoy! They are delicious when warm!