Spiced potatoes, juicy pork, pickled kunovjanka and cream come together to create a filling meal with a creamy sauce and golden crust. This honest dish is perfect for a family lunch or a satisfying dinner.
The preparation is simple: just season the ingredients, layer them in a baking dish and let them bake. During the long baking, the flavors blend beautifully and the cream added before finishing softens everything. You can also use other types of meat or add onion or bell pepper to taste.
What you will need
For the potato layer:
- 1 kg potatoes, sliced into rounds,
- 2–3 tablespoons oil,
- salt,
- ground sweet paprika,
- grill seasoning with garlic.
For the meat:
- 500 g pork, sliced (such as loin or leg),
- salt,
- pepper,
- devil’s seasoning,
- ground paprika.
For layering and finishing:
- 1 jar kunovjanka,
- 250 ml cream (31% fat),
- fat for greasing the baking dish.
The original recipe does not specify the exact amount of seasoning or fat for greasing, so adjust according to your taste and the size of your baking dish.
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Preparing the potatoes: Slice the potatoes into thin rounds and place them in a large bowl. Add salt, ground sweet paprika, grill seasoning with garlic, and 2–3 tablespoons of oil.
2. Seasoning the potatoes: Mix the potatoes thoroughly so the oil and spices coat all the slices as evenly as possible. Even seasoning is important since the potatoes will form several layers of the dish.
3. Preparing the meat: Slice the pork and lightly pound it. Season both sides with salt, pepper, devil’s seasoning, and ground paprika.
4. Preparing the baking dish: Grease the baking dish thoroughly. Spread the first portion of seasoned potatoes on the bottom to form an even layer.
5. Layering the ingredients: Place the seasoned pork slices on top of the potatoes and add a layer of kunovjanka. Continue layering in the same order until you use up all the prepared ingredients. Finish with a final layer of potatoes and kunovjanka on top.
6. Covering the dish: Cover the filled baking dish with a lid or foil. Covering helps retain the juices inside, allowing the potatoes and meat to cook in their own steam.
7. Baking: Place the dish in an oven preheated to 180°C and bake for about an hour and a half. Halfway through, you can baste the meat with kunovjanka juice to keep it moist during the rest of the baking.
8. Adding cream: Before the end of baking, carefully uncover the dish and pour the cream evenly over the entire contents. The cream will mix with the juices from the meat, vegetables and spices, creating a smoother base.
9. Finishing: Leave the dish uncovered and continue baking until the potatoes are soft and the surface is golden. Serve hot as a hearty lunch or dinner on its own.
How to adjust the meat and vegetables
Instead of pork loin or leg, you can also use chicken or beef, or another favorite type of meat. Always adjust the seasoning to suit the chosen meat and your own taste.
You can add onion or bell pepper to the kunovjanka. Layer the vegetables between the other ingredients so their flavor blends with the potatoes, meat and cream during baking.
How to keep the meat juicy
Halfway through baking, you can baste the meat with kunovjanka juice. Another option is to briefly sear the slices before layering, so they seal and stay juicy. This step is optional and the basic recipe works without it.
Final tip
Slice the potatoes as thinly and evenly as possible so they cook uniformly. When finishing, check for tenderness and a golden surface. You can adjust the seasoning to your preference without changing the simple principle of preparing everything in one baking dish.
