Traditional Pučálka (Czech Roasted Sprouted Peas)
Pučálka is an old Bohemian Easter dish made from sprouted peas that appeared on Czech tables as far back as the Middle Ages. Peas roasted in butter with herbs symbolised spring, new life and abundance. The recipe is simple yet nutritious, and you can make it savoury or sweet. Come back to the roots of Czech cooking and try this forgotten Easter speciality.
Prep: 15 min
Servings: 4
Energy: 71 kcal per serving
Method
01.
Use whole peas – they must not be split. First sort through the peas and soak them in water for 24 hours. After 24 hours pour off the water and leave the peas to sprout for 3 days in a glass covered with, for example, a cloth. Rinse them briefly morning and evening, drain them and leave them to sprout again until the sprouts are 0.5–1 cm long.
02.
Melt the butter in a heated pan.
03.
Add the sprouted peas, season with pepper and salt, add the dried herbs – thyme and marjoram – and fry for about 5 minutes until crisp. Do not stir the peas, so that they do not break and the skins do not come loose; rather toss them by shaking the pan. Add the fresh herbs – flat-leaf parsley and chives.
04.
Serve the pučálka on a deep plate and place it in the middle of the table so that the whole family can “peck” at it. It is a great alternative to unhealthy crisps or salted nuts.
