Polish Christmas Kutia

Kutia (pronounced, “koot-jah”) is a unique Polish Christmas dessert that is enjoyed in certain parts of Poland. In fact, for many Polish families it is a must-have dish at Christmas! Kutia is a wheat berry pudding that combines the ground poppy seed commonly used in Polish holiday dishes with honey, nuts, dates, figs, orange rind and raisins, and sometimes a bit of milk or cream for extra richness. A medley of unique and naturally sweet ingredients, it is no wonder that this desert is a holiday favorite in many Polish homes. The dessert originally came to Poland from Ukraine and is especially popular amongst communities near Poland’s easter borderlands.

• Though Kutia is typically made with wheat berries, there are a couple other ingredients you can use to recreate this unique dessert for the holidays. Because preparing the wheat berries can be a bit time-consuming, a great secondary option is to make it with buckwheat groats instead! This version tastes equally delicious, it’s much quicker to make and it makes the dish gluten free! 
• Another option is to make the dish with pasta noodles. With this version the name of the dessert changes to “Kluski z Makiem,” simply, “Noodles with Poppy Seed.” Other than the substitute of the grain for the pasta, however, the ingredients of the dish remain the same! 

Whether you want to make the kutia in its original form with wheat berries, or you want to try a version with buckwheat or noodles, we’ve provided the recipe, complete with ingredients from Polana, below. 

Hope you enjoy this unique Polish delicacy with family & friends this holiday season! 

INGREDIENTS:

For a medium-sized bowl for 4 people, you will need the following ingredients (although it is difficult to determine, because kutia is very filling and usually 3-4 spoons per person is enough):  

• 1/2 cup of buckwheat
• Or pasta noodles or wheat berries 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup of raisins soaked in boiling water and drained
• 1/2 cup prunes, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup of orange peel
• 1/3 cup almond flakes 
• 1/2 cup blanched and ground poppy seeds
• 2-3 tablespoons of Polish honey
• Option: 150 ml of sweet cream 
• you can add vanilla sugar to taste

RECIPE DIRECTIONS

• Cook the groats per the instructions on the packaging in water, milk or a vegan/plant milk, drain and cool. 
• Rinse ½ cup of poppy seeds thoroughly in a fine mesh sieve, drain well, and transfer to a medium sauce pan and add 3 cups water (or milk). Over medium heat, bring to a simmer (but don’t boil). Turn off, and cover with a lid and let it sit for 30 min. Return to a simmer (don’t boil). Turn off. Cover and let it sit for another 30 minutes. Drain poppy seeds well through a colander to catch stray poppy seeds. Push the poppy seeds through a food grinder, using the fine grinding plate. As another option, you can mill the poppy seeds in batched in a clean coffee grinder. 
• Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add cream if desired. 
• Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve! 

Note – Kutia can be enjoyed warm or cold! 

Wesołych Świąt & Smacznego!