Plăcintă is a traditional Romanian dish, typically made with a filling of potatoes, cheese, and bacon. It can be served as a main meal or a side dish, and is often served with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Ingredients
- 1kg potatoes
- 200g cheese
- 100g bacon
- 1 onion
- salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 250ml water
- 500g puff pastry
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- Peel and chop the potatoes, and cook in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, fry the bacon and onion in the oil until crispy.
- Drain the potatoes and add them to the bacon and onion, along with the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of 3mm and use it to line a baking dish. Spoon the potato mixture into the pastry, and pour over the water.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy.
Potential changes & improvements
There are many possible variations on this dish. You could use different types of cheese, or add other ingredients to the filling such as carrots, peas, or corn. You could also use a different type of pastry, such as shortcrust or filo.
What other food it works well with
Plăcintă goes well with a variety of other dishes. Try serving it with a green salad and some crusty bread, or with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes.
Common Mistakes
One common mistake when making plăcintă is to overcook the potatoes. This will make them too mushy and will affect the overall texture of the dish. Another mistake is to undercook the bacon, which will make it chewy and difficult to eat.
Nutritional Information
Plăcintă is a high-fat, high-calorie dish. Each serving contains approximately:
- 500 calories
- 30g fat
- 15g saturated fat
- 40g carbohydrate
- 2g sugar
- 10g protein
Allergens
This recipe contains the following allergens:
- Potatoes
- Cheese
- Bacon
- Onion
- Puff pastry