Typical dishes of the Pilsen region: vošouch, beer goulash and 40 types of dumplings
Lokál Pod Divadlem
Not just potatoes!
At first glance, it looks like ordinary potato pancakes. But vošouch is more delicate, it doesn't use garlic or marjoram, so it's good with sauerkraut.
The basis of the vošouch are boiled or raw potatoes, flour, salt and often a little milk or egg. The dough is then is baked dry on the stove or in the oven, so the result is less greasy than a classic potato casserole, and all the more the taste of the potatoes themselves stands out.
The potatoes in Lokál Pod Divadlem are bought from Mr. Rendel, who grows them just outside of Sušica. "These potatoes have taste, they are delicious. Even in Prague, they get them from him," testifies Jindřich Štolba, the chef at Lokál Pod Divadlem in Plzeň.
Vošouch is a simple, cheap but perfect dish that has its roots in home cooking and pub menus. When you see them on the menu, be sure to try them!
Pilsner beer goulash and one pilsner to go with it
Not just to drink, but straight into the base. It is thanks to the beer that it gains beer goulash the subtle bitterness and caramel depth that sets it apart from all other goulash variations.
"We sometimes prepare it for lunches and on weekends, it is very popular," confirms the chef. And goulash is not the only thing they make from beer here. Sometimes beer cheese is on the menu too! You can tell it's on the menu by the typical aroma that wafts through the pub when it's served. and everyone turns to see it. It will be appreciated by a group of thirsty and beer-hungry people, with whom this dish gets along very well.
And if the goulash or cheese isn't enough for you? Elsewhere, beer may be served with the main course, but in Pilsen, it's easy to enjoy it with from the very first course. Beer soup with bread is a recipe that has been tried and tested for centuries. Our ancestors prepared a hot broth of the golden liquid - probably to start the day exactly as it should: with flavour and zest.
It was a favourite the so-called dirty - simple and spicier version of beer brewed with caraway seeds and garlic. Sweet beer soup with cream, egg yolks and honey was served not only for taste, but also as a home remedy for coughs. The beer here does not just belong in the glass, but also in the pot - and as you can see, it does a great job there.
Pork in carrots: a lunchtime hit
This is not a typical regional speciality, but but rather a forgotten classic has returned to the limelight, not just in Pilsen. Pork in carrots - a seemingly ordinary dish that usually disappears first. "We do it a little differently than in Prague Lokáls, the old-fashioned way - grated carrots, crackling, lard" says chef Jindra.
Rozpeky are traditional sourdough loaves filled with lukewarm water and baked in the oven, served as a side dish instead of dumplings. They are excellent with mushroom sauce and also with stewed carrots and meat. They soak up the sauce, hold their flavour and remind you that even the humblest ingredients can taste like a feast. Elsewhere. ...they're baked sweet as "pockets" filled with plums and sprinkled with poppy seeds.
40 types of dumplings
In the Pilsen region, they know how to turn not only with beer, but also with dumplings. In the days when beer was commonly used as a condiment - for example, in sauces or when roasting meat to give it an unmistakable taste, there was a rich tradition of garnishes that matched this tradition. It is not surprising that the region has prepared up to forty different types of dumplings.
Traditional specialities include bacon dumplings, round and unleavened, made from toasted buns and a hefty portion of roasted pork belly with bacon. They are perfect with sauces or roast meat. Slightly more delicate are glass dumplings to which, in addition to the cabbage, sour cream is added. They complement almost any meat dish and are definitely worth a taste - ideally with a pint of honest pilsner.
Other Pilsner specialities
The regional cuisine also offers other interesting dishes. But it is certain that potatoes rule the roost!
- Báč: Potato cake made with grated potatoes, flour and other ingredients and baked until golden brown.
- Kočičák: A mixture of boiled potatoes and sauerkraut, usually served as a side dish with meat.
- Machout or šláchorec: A baked or fried dish of potatoes, sauerkraut and pork cracklings.
