Cult
and Culture
First of all: what the heck is "Pitepalt"? Are there
more than one type of Palt? Maybe - in any case, this recipe
differs from "traditional" recipes for "pitepalt"
by not prescribing the pork to be stuffed inside the Palt. This
has several advantages; firstly, it improves the taste,
secondly, it is easier (even I can do it), and thirdly, it is
the way it should be eaten! At least if you can trust
"Malmbergets kostförsörjning" and the school kitchens in
Malmberget during the 60s.
This way you need much more pork ... which is good!
You can manage without the barley flour, it's not vital for the
taste, but you do need the wheat flour - without the wheat flour it is difficult to get the Palt to hold together in
a nice round shape. Or any shape at all,
actually (word of mouth - I have not tested if it's true).
Note:
Not exactly sure about the proper translation of what we in
Sweden call "rimmat sidfläsk", but it is a rather fat and
slightly salted type of pork, think it is also called
"salt-cured pork belly".
Cooking
-
Cut the pork in small cubes, some 10-15 mm each side.
-
Boil lots of water in a large saucepan. Add salt.
-
Grate the potatoes (fine) using a grater or the knife in
the food processor. Place in a colander and let the
water drain off.
-
Mix salt, flour and potatoes (use your hands and get
sticky stuff all over). The amount of flour may vary
with the potato type; the dough should be firm
enough to allow shaping, but no more.
I constantly find myself adding flour. Lots of it.
The amount is not really crucial; the more you add,
the harder the Palts. You be the judge of optimal
taste and consistency.
-
Pour wheat flour in a bowl, and cover your hands
with flour to avoid Palts sticking. Pick up potato
dough the size of a tennis ball and roll a perfect
Palt. Gently lower it into the water using a
perforated ladle. After placing all Palts in
the saucepan, check that no Palt is stuck by gently
moving the ladle around the bottom.
-
Simmer
for some 45-60 minutes (don't pick up until they
surface). Stir gently now and then , to make sure no
Palt gets stuck to the bottom.
-
While the Palts are simmering: fry the pork in
a large pan. You want good, deep color, the
pork should be almost crispy.
-
Melt butter in a small saucepan (or
serve cold butter to melt on the plate).
Eat!
Serve
Palt with fried pork and lingonberry sauce, and
poor butter over the Palt - or let the cold
butter melt on top of the hot Palt.
Eat again!
If you happen to have some left-over Palt, you
have a perfect dinner for next day; cut the
Palts and fry with the left-over pork (if you
left any). Palt wok!
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