PA Dutch Cooking Recipes

In Berks County we have a strong tradition of PA Dutch Cooking. At Berks County Living, we think it is important to embrace our local heritage and culture, and what better way is there than to celebrate it through food? For the second year BCL hosted a PA Dutch Cooking Contest, providing Berks residents with an opportunity to dig through their recipe boxes and dust off those PA Dutch recipes that have been past down from generation to generation.

Thank goes to all who submitted recipes. This year’s finalists were chosen in advanced by the Berks County Living staff, and they were then asked to prepare their traditional PA Dutch dishes to be sampled by our panel of judges the day of the contest, which was held in late summer. The Wyndham Reading’s elegant ballroom was the perfect location for the judges to sample this year’s top dishes. As the judges evaluated the food, contestants and their families friends mingled close by, anticipating the announcement of the judges’ final decisions.

This year’s judges’ panel included Janet Papilla representing Boscov’s TravelCenter; Cindy Kauffman, VP-Member/Community Relations for the Berks County Chamber of Commerce; Cindy Allen representing the Reading Berks Visitors Bureau; Chef Trevis Reed from the Wyndham Reading; and Berks County Living’s own associate publisher, Robyn Jones.

Each dish was scored on appearance, texture, taste and recipe originality. Initially judges went from table to table and scored the dishes on their appearance. After this round of judging was complete, the dishes were cut and served to each judge to sample for texture and taste. A copy of the recipe along with recipe history/background was placed beside each entry for the judges to read.

To view the full list of finalists and their delicious recipes, click here

Grand Prize Winner >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Potato Filling
Prepared by Todd Rothenberger

After all dishes were sampled and the scores were tallied, Todd Rothenberger was declared the Grand Prize Winner for his PA Dutch Potato Filling. The recipe originated with Todd’s grandmother; however, his mother was the one who perfected it. Each Thanksgiving the entire Rothenberger family would anticipate the bursting flavor of this family tradition. The family received so much joy from eating this Dutch treat that they officially dubbed it “Joanne's Potato Filling.” Todd, a Muhlenberg resident, now attempts to carry on this tradition each Thanksgiving.

10 lbs. potatoes
6 eggs
1 bunch parsley
1 qt. milk
2 onions
2 stalks celery
3/4 lbs. butter
12 slices bread

Cook potatoes until soft (add salt to water). Put 1/2 lb of butter in pan: add onions, celery and bread cubes. Fry until breadcrumbs are brown and onions and celery are soft. Add parsley when almost finished. Mash potatoes and add salt and pepper. Add milk, then add bread, onions, celery, parsley and the remaining butter.

Runners Up

Pepper Cabbage
Prepared by Lisa Gresh

According to Gresh, “This is a particularly wonderful dish in the summer when homegrown cabbage and peppers are in great abundance.” While cabbage is perfectly acceptable when grated on a hand grater, Gresh has found that preparing it in a microprocessor provides an even finer and lighter consistency for this refreshing side dish. She also prefers to use red rather than green homegrown peppers to add visual appeal to the dish.

4 cups finely grated cabbage
1 large finely diced red or green pepper
1 large finely grated carrot
2 ribs finely diced celery
1 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. granulated sugar
4 Tbsp. white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup water

Mix sugar, vinegar and water and heat briefly in saucepan over low heat until all sugar is dissolved. Set dressing aside. Place grated cabbage in large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Blend in grated carrot and diced pepper and celery. Pour dressing over mixture and blend thoroughly. Refrigerate and serve chilled. Makes twelve 1/2 cup servings.

Dutch Apple Pie
Prepared by Jennifer Walters

This recipe belonged to Walters’ grandmother. She baked it with her grandmother each year at Christmas time.

2 unbaked pie crusts, homemade or pre-bought
1/2 c. salted butter
3-4 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
10 apples, Granny Smith or other baking apples – prepared for baking
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

For crumble on top:

3/4 cup flour
6 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Melt the butter in a saucepan or a microwave. Stir butter into the flour until flour is dissolved into a paste. Add sugar, water, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste, and boil, simmering until it reduces. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Either cover with the second piecrust and fork wide holes in crust or lay a lattice over apples. Pour the liquid over the crust. Sprinkle crumble around edges and over tops of openings on the crust. Bake 15 minutes so the top starts to brown. Reduce the temperature to 355 degrees F and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft. Remove pie from oven, and sprinkle with finely ground sugar and cinnamon.