P'tcha (Holodetz)
This dish is actually a type of aspic prepared from calves' feet. Its origins are Turkish or East European. In a matter of fact it is a typical dish of the poor since it uses the cheapest parts of beef.
There are many versions to this dish. Some use chicken feet or lamb legs. Anyway it has to use parts rich of gelatin. The main idea is to cook the calves' feet on low heat for several hours to draw the gelatin out. Then the stock is thickened and cooled in the fridge for a few hours. The gelatin converts it into an aspic, which is served usually as an appetizer.
The following recipe uses calfs' feet. Ask the butcher to cut them into 5 cm (2") chunks.
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1 Kg (2 lbs. 3 oz.) calf feet
1/2 Kg (1 lb 2 oz) beef shoulder
1 white onion unpeeled
1 stick celery with leaves
2 carrots
1 head garlic
2 bay leaves
4 allspice berries
3 eggs
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Preparation time: 5 hrs. 30 mins + 12 hrs. in the fridge
Difficulty level: Easy
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Put the feet in a pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil and let boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the pot and wash. Get rid of the water.
Return the bones back to the pot and cover with water again (about 2 L).
Add the beef cut into medium sized cubes.
Add whole onion, celery stick cut in four, the carrots sliced into thick slices, bay leaves and allspice.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid. Let cook for at least 5 hours.
Remove the bones and the meat from the pot and set aside.
Remove the onion, the bay leaves and allspice berries.
Peel the garlic cloves, chop roughly and add to the pot.
Reduce the stock, then add salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile hard-boil the eggs, peel them and slice.
Remove the meat from the bones and chop it.
Put all the meat in a bottom of a deep serving dish.
Arrange the egg slices above, pour the stock with the carrot slices.
Let cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Before serving, remove the fat layer from the top. Serve with chrain sauce (see recipe).
