Few groups of Americans have developed as charming and comfortable a cuisine as the people known as the "Pennsylvania Dutch". The following recipes are based on a meal that I enjoyed at Jacob and Anna's Inn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania almost three decades ago. A recent telephone call confirmed that this charming small inn is still offering the identical menu.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 pie crust large enough to line a 23 x 23 centimeter casserole
1 cup Bechamel sauce
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped very finely
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced and lightly sauteed in 1 Tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons dry sherry or 1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices white bread, without crusts, buttered generously on both sides

Line the casserole dish with the pie crust and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork two or three times. Fill the casserole with uncooked rice and place in a very hot oven for 15 minutes. Remove the rice (which may be cooked in the usual way at any time in the future) and return the casserole dish to the oven for 4 - 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let come to room temperature.

In a saucepan combine the Bechamel sauce, parsley, chicken and mushrooms. Stir in the sherry, season to taste with salt and pepper and heat the mixture through, taking care not to boil. Cover the casserole with the bread slices and bake in a medium- hot oven until heated through and the top is lightly browned. Serve hot.

Note: This recipe may also be made by using cooked veal.

Turkey Liver Toasts
A recipe from Chef Jacques Pepin

8 turkey livers, trimmed and split into halves
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
2 teaspoons chives, chopped
40 slices of bread cut from a baguette, toasted

Sprinkle the livers with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet heat the butter and oil until they begin to smoke. Carefully add the livers and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. During the last minute of cooking stir in the garlic and chives. Remove from the flame and transfer the livers to a plate.

Arrange the toast slices on a large platter. Cut each liver half into three or four pieces, distribute these on the toast and serve hot.

Note: This recipe may also be made by using about 12 chicken livers.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sweet cream
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons walnuts, crushed
2 Tablespoons bourbon whisky or scotch whiskey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Wash and scrub the potatoes. Dry on paper toweling and grease lightly with butter. Bake the potatoes in a medium hot oven until nearly done (40 - 50 minutes), piercing the skins once after 20 minutes of cooking. When the potatoes are done cut them into lengthwise halves and scrape out and reserve the pulp.

To the potato pulp add the cream, brown sugar, walnuts, whisky, salt and 4 Tablespoons of the butter. With a whisk beat until fluffy and with this mixture refill the shells. Over the tops sprinkle the breadcrumbs and dot generously with the remaining butter. Return to the oven until the tops are browned. Serve hot.

Cole Slaw

1 medium cabbage
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons onion, grated
1 1/2 tsp. each celery seed and dill seed
1/2 tsp. salt
white pepper to taste
chives, chopped, for garnish

Remove the discard the outer leaves and core of the cabbage. Shred the remaining leaves. Soak in ice water for about 1 hour, drain well and dry between toweling. Chill.

Just before serving combine the sour cream, onion, celery seed, dill seed, and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well and then pour the mixture over the cabbage. Toss the salad well and garnish with chopped chives.

Parkerhouse Rolls

30 grams yeast
2 cups milk, lukewarm
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the milk. Add the sugar and salt and stir until the dry ingredients have been completely dissolved. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, and with a wooden spoon stir in well. As soon as the mixture is smooth pour in 1/4 cup of the butter and mix into the dough. Add the remaining flour and continue stirring until the mixture is completely smooth.

Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured board, cover with a towel and let stand for 10 minutes. Lightly dust the hands with flour and need by pushing the fingers into the dough and then pressing down with the heels of the hands, rolling the dough back and forth as it is pressed. Occasionally turn the dough 90 degrees until the dough is elastic and satin-like in nature. Place in a bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch the dough down two or three times and turn it out on a very lightly floured board. Knead again for 3 - 4 minutes.

Roll the dough out using a lightly floured rolling pin until it is about 1 centimeter thick. Using a 7 1/2 centimeter biscuit or cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds. Brush the tops of the rounds generously with butter and fold over each roll into a half circle. Arrange these on baking sheets, cover and let rise in a warm spot for 25 minutes. Brush again with butter and bake in a very hot oven until browned and done (12 - 15 minutes). Serve hot with lots of butter. (Yields about 24 rolls).

Cheese Biscuits

2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons butter
about 3/4 cups milk
5 Tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated

Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Work the butter into the mixture with the fingertips. Add the milk slowly, stirring regularly, adding just enough to make a smooth dough that is soft but not overly sticky. Mix in the grated cheese.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for 1 minute. With a lightly floured rolling pin roll the dough to a thickness of about 1 centimeter. Cut the dough into rounds with a biscuit or cookie cutter, arrange these on a buttered baking sheet and bake in a very hot oven until the biscuits are lightly browned (about 12 - 15 minutes). Serve hot or warm. (Yields about 18 biscuits).

Peach Cake with Lemon Sauce
A dish known as "Brown Betty"

For the cake:
1 cup vanilla flavored cookies, crushed into crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg, salt and ground cloves
1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 Tablespoons. lemon juice

For the lemon sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornflour
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
pinch of salt

In a small bowl combine the cookie crumbs and the melted butter. With 1/3 of this mixture line the bottom of a very lightly greased baking dish.

In a separate bowl, sift together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. To these add the lemon rind and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

Place 1/2 of the apples in the baking dish and over these sprinkle 1/2 of the sugar mixture. Sprinkle over with 1 Tablespoon of the lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of water. Over this sprinkle another 1/3 of the crumb mixture. Spread the remaining apples over the crumbs and sprinkle these with the remaining sugar mixture. Sprinkle over with the remaining lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons water and cover with the remaining crumbs.

Cover and bake in a medium oven until the apples are nearly tender (about 40 minutes). Uncover and increase the temperature to hot and cook for 15 minutes longer.

While the cake is baking make the sauce by combining the sugar and cornflour with 1 cup of water in the top of a double boiler. Heat over but not in hot water until the sauce is thickened, stirring regularly. Remove from the flame and add the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Serve the cake warm with the hot sauce poured over.

Note: During the appropriate season, this recipe may also be made using fresh peaches.

To read more about travelling and dining in Pennsylvania-Dutch country, click here.

© Daniel Rogov