Zalewajka[1] is a traditional rusticsoup made of diced and boiledpotatoes and overflowed with sour rye made fromsourdough bread. It also often containsPolish sausage and driedmushrooms.
The soup comes from central part ofPoland. The first mentions of it appeared in 19th century inŁódź andRadomsko. The basic component of diet for people from those areas were potatoes and mushrooms. Potatoes constituted the base of the majority of the dishes people from Łódź and Radomsko prepared. They were served in different ways like boiled,mashed or fried. Thanks to its simplicity in the 19th and 20th century zalewajka become popular around the country to places likeKielce andZagłębię Dąbrowskie.
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There are a lot of recipes for this kind of soup which are different because of the region of Poland they were prepared.[2]
Main ingredients of the soup is bread sourdough, water, sausages and onion slices. Also added arewheat flour,sour cream and potatoes.[3]
The potatoes are peeled, cut into small cubes, then put into water and boiled. Sliced sausages and chopped onion are fried on the pan. When the potatoes are almost boiled, sausage and bread sourdough are added. After careful mixing, flour with the sour cream and the pinch of salt is added.[4]
This recipe originated in theŚwiętokrzyskie region. It's quite similar to Łódź recipe, but garlic and bacon added and less of sour cream used. The cooking process itself is almost the same except putting bacon into the soup.[5]
Zalewajka from Radomsko is similar, but with more spices like marjoram and dried mushrooms. Cooked the same way as in the recipes from Łódź and Świętokrzyskie but without meat.[6]