Oktoberfest – Get a Taste of Germany

September 27, 2013

Germans seem to love their meat, beer and polka!  Throw in some brats soaked in beer, grilled and served with Dijon mustard and you will make anyone happy.  Serve up these other German dishes for a nice Oktoberbest feast.

Bierocks (German Meat Turnovers)

A delicious pastry baked with a savory beef, onion, and cabbage filling. (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
• ½ pound ground beef
• ½ onion, chopped
• ½ clove garlic, minced
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp lemon pepper
• ½ small head cabbage, chopped
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• ¼ cup melted butter

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute the beef, onion, garlic, salt and lemon pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat, until beef is browned.  Add the cabbage, Worcestershire sauce and caraway seeds. Cook until cabbage is limp; drain liquid from mixture.
3. On a lightly floured board, roll each loaf of dough into a 12 inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Spoon cabbage/beef filling onto center of each dough piece, dividing equally.
4. Pull the three points of each wedge up to the center and pinch to seal.  Place bierocks on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  If desired, brush dough with melted butter or egg wash (1 egg white with 2 tablespoons water).
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot, or wrap and freeze for heating later.

German Potato Pancakes

These great tasting potato pancakes take 15 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook. (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. potatoes (about 2 medium or 3 small Russets or other starchy potato), peeled and grated
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3/4 – 1 tsp salt
• Ground pepper
• Freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 egg
• Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Peel and grate potatoes. Place the grated potatoes in a clean dishcloth or cheesecloth and squeeze the liquid out of them into a bowl.  Let the liquid stand a few minutes, then drain the liquid, leaving the potato starch at the bottom of the bowl.  Add the potatoes into the bowl.
2. Grate the onion over the potatoes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and egg.  Mix thoroughly.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan.
4. Using about 1/2 cup, drop the potato mixture into hot oil and flatten with the back of a spoon.  Fry 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
5.  Drain on paper towels and serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

Serve these 2 recipes as a meal in and of themselves, or use them as side dishes.

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