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Topinky
Topinky: Czech rye bread fried crisp in oil and rubbed with raw garlic
Midnight in a Prague beer hall, a basket of topinky arrives: thick slabs of rye-wheat bread fried until shatteringly crisp and rubbed hard with raw garlic, so the rough crust grates the clove like sandpaper. Czech pubs serve them as a snack with beer, and at home they are a quick supper with a glass of buttermilk or a bowl of soup. Some old cooks used lard; frying in oil keeps them vegan. The crumb should stay soft inside the golden crust, and the garlic should be sharp and fiery. A common mistake is frying in oil that is not hot enough, which makes the bread greasy instead of crisp. Chef's tip: choose a dense, day-old rye bread with caraway seeds; fresh, airy bread soaks up oil like a sponge.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 4 slices day-old rye-wheat breadabout 1.5 cm thick
- 6 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 garlic clovespeeled and halved
- ½ tsp flaky salt
- ½ tsp caraway seeds (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 6 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat until a crumb of bread sizzles straight away.
2 minStep 2: Lay in the 4 slices day-old rye-wheat bread and fry for 2 minutes, until deep golden underneath. Turn and fry the other side for 1–2 minutes, adding a little more oil if the pan looks dry.
4 minStep 3: Lift the slices onto kitchen paper for a few seconds to drain.
1 minStep 4: While they are still hot, rub both sides firmly with the cut side of 4 garlic cloves until the clove wears down.
1 minStep 5: Sprinkle with ½ tsp flaky salt and ½ tsp caraway seeds and eat at once, while crisp.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does topinky take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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