Hubnik comes from the foothills of the Czech Krkonose Mountains. It is a very tasty bread pudding made with dried mushrooms. Since my dad's family is from this area, we've been making mushroom pudding every Christmas for years. Let's see the recipe!
4cupscubed stale white breadsuch as French baguettes
4ouncespork bacon slab(110 g)
2full handsdried mushrooms
4eggs
5clovesgarlic
2Tablespoonssemolinaor Farina / Cream of Wheat
1teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonblack pepperground
To grease the baking dish:
1teaspoonfatto grease the dish
1Tablespoonbreadcrumbsto dust the dish
Instructions
DO THIS FIRST: Peel and press or mash garlic cloves. Dice the bacon finely.
Pour about two cups of water into a pot and throw in the dried mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat on the stovetop. Reduce the heat and boil gently for 10 minutes.
Remove the cooked mushrooms with a slotted spoon or sieve, drain, and cut them into smaller pieces. Leave the mushroom broth aside.
Meanwhile, place the bread cubes in a large bowl, pour in the milk, and stir until the milk is absorbed.
Add diced bacon, eggs, and pressed garlic to the soaked bread. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well.
Pour in enough mushroom broth to make a semi-dense mixture. Be careful; if you add too much liquid, the resulting bread pudding gets watery. Add the semolina and stir until combined.
Grease a baking dish and dust it with breadcrumbs. That way, the mushroom pudding will not stick during baking to the bottom or sides and will be easy to remove after cooking. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, and smooth the surface.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the hubnik pudding for about 30 minutes, until the surface turns golden.
Notes
Makes about 10 portions/slices.
SERVING: Serve the mushroom bread pudding warm, cut into slices or wide strips. We serve it as a lighter main dish. Some people add a slice of fresh bread or potatoes boiled in their skins, then peeled and topped with melted butter.
Reheating: My dad always said that this mushroom pudding tastes better the next day. To reheat, melt unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the sliced pudding in the pan and fry on both sides.
When baking, the pudding in the baking dish will puff up. Once you remove it from the oven and let it cool, it will flatten again. Don't be alarmed; it's normal!