Due to a combination of factors, I’ve not had the time to write a lot lately, but to get back into the swing of things, I will get back into the delights of Zakarpattian food. Part 1 can be found here: https://jjplace.co.uk/?p=439 .
Here, I will describe a bit more about some local dishes, reflecting the history and makeup of this region.
Trout
Trout (forrel in Ukrainian) is a popular dish not only in Zakarpattia but also across the wider Carpathian region, and fish from this region can be found throughout Ukraine as well. There are wild trout that live in the mountains due to the colder waters, but many (and the ones you will likely eat) are from reservoirs or other trout farms.
There are two main species. There is the “brown trout” (Salmo trutta) or “brook trout” (not the same as what we call the brook trout in English, which is from the USA — S. fontinalis), which live in the wild, and rainbow trout (which are not native to Europe as I recently learned), which are deliberately placed into rivers to help with oxidation and are the ones found in trout farms and reservoirs. The latter are the ones you will likely eat as well.
The tradition of trout farming dates back primarily to the Austro-Hungarian period, when it was demanded by the imperial courts. There was even a whole village, Svalyavshchyna, of fishermen, working for the empire’s demand. Apparently, the fishing tradition collapsed under the USSR, but it has revived and now lives on, and now you can find grilled trout and even places where you can catch your own fish and eat them, across Zakarpattia, in various forms.
Sources: https://uzhgorod.net.ua/news/136804
Paprika
I mentioned paprika in the previous article, but I didn’t dig into the history so much (shame on me, I know). Paprika was brought to Hungary (and Zakarpattia) by the Ottomans when they ruled the region, and it became a common mainstay. While Hungary is one of the major paprika manufacturers, Zakarpattia produces plenty, including in one village, Velyka Dobron, where there is even a pepper festival, and you can find the peppers made and eaten en masse!
The village’s peppers are of the sweeter variety. This is noteworthy because when you go to a market in Zakarpattia, you often have the choice of sweet, smoked, or spicy paprika (and yes, it can actually be very spicy).
Unfortunately, the tradition of growing peppers has been dying out, hit by COVID, the war, and more. Velyka Dobron used to attract many visitors for its harvesting season and festival, but this has been put into question. Still, paprika will remain a strong staple of the cuisine.
Further reading and images from: https://shotam.info/daty-pertsiu-yak-u-velykiy-dobroni-na-zakarpatti-vsim-selom-vyhotovliaiut-papryku/
Lotsi Pechenya (baked Lotsi)
Now, you’re likely thinking, “What does lotsi mean?” Well, it’s a pork dish, but there’s more to it than that. It comes back (allegedly) to the 15th century, so, once again ,under Hungarian rule. This dish is also common in Hungary.
Now, the name. According to legend, the king Laszlo Dobrze-Ulaszlo had food secretly delivered to himself from the canteens for the poor. The food for the poor was called “konyha” (kitchen), and, therefore, once this scheme was uncovered, they called the cuisine locikonyha, as in “the kitchen where Loci (Lazszlo) ate,” and then the meat “pechenya” referred to the cooking style.
Now, there is likely a simpler story. On June 27th (Laszlo’s day), open-air kitchens were opened everywhere, and baked meat like this was common. Hence, it acquired the name due to the same combination of words as in the more elaborate story.
Whatever the case, the dish is simple. Baked pork, with onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and, unsurprisingly, paprika, but you can find it in many restaurants in Zakarpattia. Sometimes it may be accompanied or covered in more of a sauce. I found a good recipe here.
Soleniky
The last one, and this is suitable for vegans, is Soleniky. These are waffly crisp type things, often plain, or salted, but can be found with more elaborate flavours (thyme, cheese, paprika, etc.) They’re versatile, and you can make them at home, as many do, allowing you to experiment.
Funny thing is, there’s not a lot of info about this snack, which you can find in every small shop in Zakarpattia, or being made by grandmothers in their kitchens. I even found some in Kyiv, actually, at Novus supermarket.
Etymologically, the term bears resemblance to a “salter,” which has historical roots in the name of those who would travel from pre-carpathia to sell salt (later called Kolomyia, Toryany, and Chumak). Kolomyia is a city where people would sell said salt. But this modern incarnation of salted waffles, which relies on a certain type of grilling device, seems to have no real history, and it is unclear why it’s more popular in this region than elsewhere.
Nonetheless, try them when you’re here. Or make at home.
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