Bavarian feasts
There’s beer, of course, but Oktoberfest is also known for its food.
Munich’s 185th Oktoberfest has been in full swing since Saturday and festivities will run through Oct. 7. The annual festival, in its 208th year, celebrates the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. (The festival was skipped or renamed several times, including during and after World Wars I and II.)
According to Oktoberfest.de, the original celebration took place Oct. 12 to 17; in the following years the festivities were lengthened to two weeks and moved to late September, ensuring better weather for strolling the “die Wiesn.”
Die Wiesn is short for Theresienwiese, the open space where Oktoberfest is held, and the site of the royal wedding in 1810.
The world-famous festival is known for its giant liter beers — “eine maß, bitte” — but Oktoberfest is so much more than libations and lederhosen. It is a celebration of Bavarian culture and heritage. On the Wiesn, there are 14 large and 22 small tents to visit, each with its own theme, personality and menu, not to mention the Oide Wiesn, the rides and other attractions.
But if you’re like us — and won’t be traveling to Munich this year — why not plan an Oktoberfest at home?
Sure you could serve weisswurst, pretzels and German beer and call it a celebration. And that’s fine if you plan to celebrate Oktoberfest before noon and you understand that isn’t traditional Oktoberfest fare. It is however, a traditional Bavarian breakfast.
For something a little closer to what you’d find at the Wiesn, consider roast chicken with potato dumplings and sweet and sour red cabbage.
This menu pairs great with any German beer, but if you want to be authentic, Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten-Franziskaner, Lowenbrau, Hacker-Pschorr or Hofbrau are the official beers of Oktoberfest. If you can’t find one of those, look for something brewed according to Bavarian Purity Requirements (made with only water, hops and barley). If you prefer wine, Uncorked columnist Lorri Hambuchen recommends Gewurztraminer.
This spread is ubiquitous at beer gardens in Bavaria and is the ideal way to kick off an Oktoberfest party.
Obatzda Bavarian Beer Cheese Spread
8 ounces brie or Camembert, rinds removed, chopped 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces 2 tablespoons German beer (I used Hofbrau dunkel) ½ to 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika (can substitute regular, but do not use smoked), plus more for sprinkling Salt and ground black pepper, to taste Thinly sliced red onion or fresh snipped chives Soft pretzels, pumpernickel rye and/or sliced radishes, for serving
After cutting the rinds from the brie or Camembert, leave it in a mixing bowl at room temperature until softened and “runny.” Once the cheese has softened, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. It’s OK if it’s slightly lumpy.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately or cover and chill for about 2 hours. Sprinkle with paprika and top with red onion or chives before serving.
Roast chickens at Oktoberfest are split and cooked on a spit, but you can still enjoy the flavor and crispy skin from a home oven. At the festival a Bavarain would say “a hoibads Hendl, bitte!” to order this dish.
A Hoibads Hendl or Brathendl Crispy Roast Chicken
1 (3 ½- to 4-pound) whole
chicken, giblets removed 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon oregano Pinch ground pepper ¼ teaspoon marjoram Pinch ground rosemary 2 tablespoons butter
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly dry the chicken. Mix the herbs and spices in a bowl. Rub the chicken inside and out with the spice mixture.
Place the chicken in a baking dish and add just enough water to cover the bottom. Cut the butter into small pats and place it on top of the chicken. Roast, basting with pan juices every 20 to 30 minutes, for 1 to 2 hours or until skin is crispy and meat registers 165 degrees.
Serve with potato dumplings and red cabbage.
Makes about 4 servings.
Schupfnudeln Fried Potato Dumplings
1 pound whole starchy potatoes such as russets, scrubbed but not peeled 1 egg PLUS 1 egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus
more for dusting
Salt and ground black pepper Pinch freshly grated nutmeg ¼ cup butter
Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain. Peel and mash potatoes while still warm or pass through a potato ricer. Let cool.
Once cool, gently but thoroughly mix in the egg, yolk and flour. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. On a lightly floured surface, shape mixture into a long, thin roll.
Cut into ¾-inch pieces and use your hands to form
2- to 3-inch, finger-shaped dumplings by rolling each piece between your palms.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop dumplings, several at a time, into the boiling water. Dumplings are done when they float. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, remove dumplings from water and let cool slightly.
Heat butter in a large skillet and, working in batches if Obatzda, a German cheese spread,
necessary, saute dumplings until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve hot.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Rotkohl Susse-Sauer Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
1 head red cabbage 4 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, or
to taste
½ cup apple cider vinegar ½ cup dark brown sugar
1 to 1 ½ cups chicken or
vegetable stock
½ cup dark German beer,
optional (see note)
Salt and ground black pepper
to taste
Quarter, core and chop cabbage into ¼-inch slices. Place all ingredients into a large stockpot and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. After 1 hour, uncover and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and cabbage is glazed.
Makes 4 to 6 servings. Note: Reduce broth to 1 cup if using beer.
Don’t forget dessert. Traditional strudel is laborious and painstakingly difficult to make. This version is not, but it tastes just as good, thanks to frozen phyllo dough.
Apfelstrudel Apple Strudel
4 to 6 apples such as a combination of Granny Smith and Gala, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup walnuts, optional
½ cup golden raisins 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 (16-ounce) box frozen phyllo dough (sometimes labeled fillo), thawed according to package instructions
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup crushed graham crackers OR plain bread crumbs
Icing: 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon lemon juice Milk or water as needed
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, vanilla and almond extracts, brown sugar, walnuts (if using), raisins and cinnamon and mix well; set aside.
Use 6 sheets of phyllo per strudel; keep the remaining dough covered with damp paper towels or plastic wrap. Unused phyllo sheets can be refrozen for several weeks.
Line a cutting board or work surface with parchment paper. Lay 1 or 2 sheets of phyllo on the parchment. Drizzle with some of the melted butter. Repeat until you have layered and buttered 6 sheets of phyllo. Sprinkle with half of the bread crumbs. Scatter half of the apple mixture evenly over the bread crumbs, leaving 1-inch border on all sides. Fold the left and right ends over the filling, then gently but tightly roll dough and filling into a log, like a burrito. Using the parchment paper, carefully transfer the log to one of the prepared baking sheets.
Repeat with the remaining phyllo, butter, cracker crumbs and apple mixture.
Bake, rotating pans halfway through, for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool at least 15 minutes before icing.
For the icing, in a small bowl whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth. If glaze is too thick, add a bit of water or milk to thin. Drizzle over warm strudels.
Makes about 12 servings.
Recipe adapted from The Apple Cookbook by Olwen Woodier