Grammelpogatscherl

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •Round cutter or drinking glass (5cm diameter)
• •Rolling pin
• •Baking tray with parchment paper
• •Pastry brush for egg wash

Instructions

1. 1

   Activate the yeast

   Warm the milk until it feels like bathwater against your wrist. Crumble the fresh yeast into the milk and stir until dissolved. Add a pinch of sugar if your yeast is sluggish, just enough to give it something to eat. Let it sit for five to ten minutes until the surface turns frothy and alive. If nothing happens, your yeast is dead and you need to start over with a fresh packet. Better to find out now than after you've made the dough.

   If you're using dried yeast, sprinkle it over the warm milk and let it sit undisturbed for ten minutes. It takes longer to wake up than fresh yeast.
2. 2

   Build the dough

   Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in the yeast mixture, then add the egg, softened lard or butter, salt, and a generous grinding of black pepper. I mean generous. Pogatscherl should have a warm, peppery bite that stands up to the richness of the cracklings. Work everything together with your hands, then turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for eight to ten minutes. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. It will feel alive under your hands when it's right.

3. 3

   First rise

   Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and set it somewhere warm. The top of the stove while the oven preheats works well, or a sunny windowsill. Let it rise for forty-five minutes to an hour until it has doubled in size. When you poke it with your finger, the indent should fill back slowly. If it springs right back, it needs more time.

   Lard makes a softer, more traditional dough. Butter works beautifully if you prefer it, and the flavor is slightly nuttier. Either way, it must be softened to room temperature or it won't incorporate properly.
4. 4

   Prepare the Grammeln

   While the dough rises, chop your Grammeln into rough pieces, about the size of a small pea. You want variation: some larger chunks that will give you a proper crackly bite, some smaller bits that will melt into the dough. If your Grammeln come in a solid block, break it apart first, then chop. Taste one. It should be deeply savory, porky, and crisp. If it tastes stale or rancid, don't use it. The Grammeln are the soul of this pastry. Everything depends on their quality.

   Good Grammeln can be found at Austrian or Hungarian delis, or online from specialty pork suppliers. In a pinch, you can make your own by slowly rendering diced pork back fat in a heavy pan until the pieces turn golden and crisp. Strain and save both the cracklings and the lard.
5. 5

   Fold in the cracklings

   Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto your work surface. Flatten it into a rough rectangle with your hands. Scatter the chopped Grammeln evenly across the surface, then fold the dough over itself and knead gently for two or three minutes to distribute the cracklings throughout. Don't overwork it. You're not trying to make them disappear into the dough. You want to see them, golden flecks and chunks studded through the crumb. Add another grinding of black pepper as you knead.

6. 6

   Shape the Pogatscherl

   Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about two centimeters thick. Not thinner. These are meant to be plump little rounds, not crackers. Cut circles with a glass or a round cutter, about five centimeters across. Gather the scraps, press them together gently, and cut again. Place the rounds on a baking tray lined with parchment, leaving a little room between each one. They'll puff as they bake.

   Score a shallow crosshatch pattern on top of each round with a sharp knife before the second rise. This is traditional, and it gives the egg wash somewhere to pool, creating a beautiful golden lattice pattern on the finished pastry.
7. 7

   Second rise and egg wash

   Cover the tray loosely with a tea towel and let the Pogatscherl rise for twenty minutes. They won't double, but they'll puff up noticeably and look softer. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) while they rest. Brush each round generously with the egg yolk and milk wash. This is what gives them that deep, glossy golden finish. Sprinkle with coarse salt and, if you like, a few caraway seeds. The caraway is optional, but it's traditional in Burgenland and it pairs beautifully with the pork.

8. 8

   Bake until golden

   Bake in the center of the oven for eighteen to twenty minutes until the tops are a deep, burnished gold and the bottoms sound hollow when you tap them. The kitchen will smell like a Heuriger on a Saturday afternoon. Pull them out and let them cool on the tray for just five minutes, no longer. These are meant to be eaten warm. Pile them in a basket lined with a cloth napkin, put a crock of cold sour cream on the table, pour the wine, and call everyone. Mahlzeit!

Chef Tips

• •The quality of your Grammeln determines everything. Stale or softened cracklings will give you greasy, flat pastries instead of the crispy, savory pockets you want. Buy them fresh from a butcher or deli, or make your own. Taste before you bake.
• •Don't skip the black pepper. Pogatscherl without pepper are like a Heuriger without wine. The warmth of the pepper cuts the richness of the pork fat and wakes up the whole pastry. Grind it coarse.
• •These are best eaten within an hour of baking. If you must reheat, five minutes in a hot oven brings them back. The microwave will make them sad and chewy. Don't do it.
• •Serve the sour cream cold, straight from the fridge. The temperature contrast between the warm pastry and the cold, tangy cream is half the pleasure.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made the evening before, covered tightly, and refrigerated overnight. The slow cold rise develops more flavor. Bring to room temperature for thirty minutes before shaping.
• •Grammeln can be chopped and stored in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge, or frozen for a month.
• •Shaped and unbaked Pogatscherl can be frozen on the tray, then transferred to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding five minutes to the bake time. Brush with egg wash before they go in the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 55g)