Sekanice (Czech Easter Stuffing)
Sekanice is a delicious stuffing and one of the classic Czech Easter dishes. Prepared on Holy Saturday with lots of eggs, green herbs and smoked meat, it used to be part of the food basket and taken to church to be blessed. Want the recipe? All right, here you go!
Servings 4
Calories 414kcal
Equipment
- baking pan 8x12 inches (20x30 cm)
Ingredients
- ¾ pound smoked ham (330 g) fully cooked
- 7 cups cubed white bread (about 5 ounces/140 g) such as French baquette
- 6 eggs yolks and whites separately
- 1 cup milk (240 ml) lukewarm
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- ½ cup parsley greens
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ stick unsalted butter (37 g) thin slices
For greasing the baking dish:
- ½ Tablespoon solid fat
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Make ahead: Peel the garlic and press it. Dice the smoked ham. Cut white bread into ½-1-inch cubes. Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks, placing each in a separate, clean bowl.
- Prepare herbs: Place the spinach leaves in a colander and wash them under running water. Scald them briefly with hot water. Allow to drip off, and then chop the blanched leaves coarsely with a chef's knife along with the leaves of the green parsley.
- Get the baking pan ready: Grease the baking dish with some solid fat, such as butter. Then sprinkle with plain breadcrumbs. Gently tap the pan on the counter to shake off any excess breadcrumbs.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the milk with the egg yolks, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic.
- Place the white bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture over them and stir. Let stand for about five minutes while the bread absorbs the liquid.
- Meanwhile, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
- Add the smoked ham cubes, beaten egg whites, and chopped herbs to the soaked bread. Using a hand spatula, mix gently but thoroughly.
- Spread the stuffing mixture into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the surface. Top with thin slices of butter all over.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and bake the stuffing for 40 minutes.
Notes
- Makes 4-6 portions.
- SERVING: Serve the Sekanice stuffing warm and sliced. The best side dish is boiled potatoes. Another option is to serve slices of cold stuffing arranged on a plate. Sekanice is delicious, both hot and cold!
- Storage tip: When the stuffing has cooled, do not tip it out of the pan. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Reheating: Toast the slices of Sekanice in a pan with a little butter. We love this method of reheating in our family!
Nutrition
Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 314mg | Sodium: 1995mg | Potassium: 600mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2731IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 5mg