During the holidays, many of us carry on the Slovak traditions passed down from our parents and grandparents.
Christmas Eve is viewed as the holiest night of the year for Christian Slovaks. The family gathers for a meal together. Traditionally, the meal would not begin until the first star was seen in the sky. This observance was symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem that led the Magi to Christ.
The table is set with the family's finest and covered with a white cloth to symbolize Christ's swaddling clothes. The father or mother of the household dips a finger in honey and traces a cross on the foreheads of all the other family members saying, "May you be as industrious as a bee and as sweet as honey" and then the family joins together to say grace.
The first food of the meal is OPLATKY (the Christmas wafer). The oplatky itself represents Christ and is similar to a Communion wafer but larger and usually embossed with a nativity scene. Oplatky is eaten with honey to symbolize the sweetness of life.
Traditional foods served at the Christmas Eve dinner include: mushroom soup, BOBALKY, and fish. These foods have symbolic meanings. The sauerkraut juice in the mushroom soup represents that we must accept the bitter as well as the sweet in life and it represents Christ's suffering for mankind. Bobalky are small bits of baked bread dough that are served with sauerkraut or poppyseeds. These were served as the meal would have been meatless in homes that were observing the Advent fast.
Often, an extra place setting is filled with a serving of each item on the table. This plate is left outside for family members who had passed away but are not forgotten.
3-4 lbs. of fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 cup celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped Juice from one large can of sauerkraut
Handful of lentils Salt to taste
2 tbs. butter(for rue) 2 tbs. flour(for rue)
In a large soup pot, add all ingredients and fill to the top with water. Cover and let simmer for about 1-1/2 hours.
Next, make a rue of 2 tbs. butter and 2 tbs. flour by browning in a small skillet and cooking until thick. Bring soup to a boil, slowly add rue and stir.
Serve with Letchki (egg flake noodles or small pasta).
T.C.
6 cups of flour 1 cup of sugar
1/2 pound butter/margarine 2 pkgs. dry yeast
3 eggs 1/2 quart of warm milk(2 cups)
dash of salt
Stir together 3/4 cup of warm water and yeast packages with 1 tsp. of sugar. Set aside until it about doubles in volume.
Mix together flour, sugar, butter, salt, warm milk, and beaten eggs. Add yeast mixtureand knead until it comes off your hand cleanly.(You may need to add a little more flour as you knead.) Cover mixing bowl and let rise in a warm place approximately 3-4 hours.
After dough has raised, knead a bit more and seperate into workable portions. Cover small doughs to keep them warm. Working with a handful of dough, roll a "snake" and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Place pieces on a floured cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.
When ready to serve, moisten bobalky by placing them in a colander and running hot water over them. Next, stir in in one of the following:
- Cooked sauerkraut (the can that you drained to make the mushroom soup). Brown sauerkraut in a large skillet with butter and a chopped onion. Cook until tender.
- One jar of poppyseed
- Coat with melted butter
T.C.
