There’s something deeply satisfying about a meal made from almost nothing — just potatoes, onions, and sausage.
This is one of those quietly brilliant dishes that used to appear on every farmhouse table in Slovakia. The potatoes are boiled, then mixed with onions and slices of smoked sausage fried slowly in pork fat, until everything smells warm and savory.

In my family, we always serve it with a glass of acidophilus milk — a tangy fermented milk drink similar to buttermilk or kefir. It balances the richness perfectly.

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Ingredients (serves 2–3)

• 700 g (about 1½ lb) potatoes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 150 g (about 5 oz) smoked sausage
• 2 tbsp pork fat — or substitute butter or bacon grease
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: chopped parsley or spring onion for serving

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Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large pan, melt the pork fat and add the chopped onion. Fry gently until golden.
3. Add sliced sausage and continue frying until the edges turn crisp and fragrant.
4. Add the boiled potatoes directly to the pan. Mix well so they soak up all the flavors from the onion and sausage.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, with a glass of acidophilus milk, kefir, or buttermilk.

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Serving Ideas

• Serve as a simple countryside lunch or weeknight comfort dinner.
• Add a few pickles or sauerkraut on the side.
• For a lighter version, swap sausage for mushrooms fried in the same way.

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From My Kitchen

We always called this “omastené zemiaky” — literally “greased potatoes.”
It sounds funny in English, but in Slovakia, it simply means potatoes enriched with something good: fat, onions, maybe sausage. It’s the taste of practicality and comfort, of using what you have — and somehow, that makes it taste even better.

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A Note on the Drink

If you ever visit Slovakia, you’ll find acidofilné mlieko in every store. It’s close to kefir or drinkable yogurt — tangy, fresh, and slightly creamy. For this meal, it’s essential. The first spoonful of warm potatoes followed by a sip of cold, tangy milk — that’s the real taste of home.