 A plate of Maluns and apple compote, served along with various specialities of the Grisons, notably Alp cheese, dried meat and Salsiz (top right) | |
| Type | Main dish |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Switzerland |
| Region or state | Grisons |
| Main ingredients | Potatoes, flour, butter |
Maluns are a traditional dish of the Grisons, essentially made of potatoes.
Maluns are prepared from boiled potatoes (usually one day before cooking), peeled and grated, then mixed with some flour in proportions varying according to the recipe. The resulting mixture is then slowly fried in butter and stirred constantly until it forms small golden balls or crumbs. Maluns are usually served with apple compote, which can be made with other fruits depending on the season. Other common accompaniments include various regional cheeses and cured meats, such as Salsiz (dry sausage) or Grisons Meat. They are also traditionally eaten along with milk coffee. [1]
Although seemingly easy, the preparation of Maluns requires time, especially the final part which can require more than 40 minutes of constant presence depending on the quality of the potatoes. [2] The writer and journalist Hanns U. Christen recommends, in his book Das Kochbuch aus der Schweiz, to cook Maluns at least twice before offering them to guests. Maluns are usually served as a main dish as they provide a rich meal even without the addition of meat. [3]
Potatoes (as well as maize) were introduced in the Grisons by Johann Gubert Rudolf von Salis in the 18th century, at Marschlins Castle, which is located in the vicinity of Landquart. [4]
The first potatoes were planted as ornamentals at Marschlins in 1717. It was not until 1758 that potatoes were served there for the first time at a castle dinner, but with very mixed success. However, a little over a decade later, a famine favored its consumption, so that by the end of the century, the potato was cultivated in all favorable regions of the Grisons. [5] [6] At that time, the habit of cooking maluns spread among the peasants of the canton, to the point that some of them were given the nickname of "Magliamaluns" or "Malauner", which means "eaters of maluns". [7] [8]
The Romansh word "maluns" descends from the Latin micula/miculones: "little crumbs". Maluns are also known as Bündner Kartoffelribel in German. [9]
Gnocchi are a varied family of dumplings in Italian cuisine. They are made of small lumps of dough, such as those composed of a simple combination of wheat flour, potato, egg, and salt. Variations of the dish supplement the simple recipe with flavour additives, such as semolina flour, cheese, breadcrumbs, cornmeal or similar ingredients, and possibly including herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients. Base ingredients may be substituted with alternatives such as sweet potatoes for potatoes or rice flour for wheat flour. Such variations are often considered to be non-traditional.
The Grisons or Graubünden, more formally the Canton of the Grisons or the Canton of Graubünden, is one of the twenty-six cantons of Switzerland. It has eleven districts, and its capital is Chur. The German name of the canton, Graubünden, translates as the "Grey Leagues", referring to the canton's origin in three local alliances, the Three Leagues. The other native names also refer to the Grey League: Grischùn in Sutsilvan, Grischun in the other forms of Romansh, and Grigioni in Italian. Rhaetia is the Latin name for the area. The Alpine ibex is the canton's heraldic symbol.
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Scouse is a type of stew typically made from chunks of meat with potatoes, carrots and onion. It is particularly associated with the port of Liverpool, hence the inhabitants of that city are often referred to as "scousers". The word "scouse" comes from lobscouse, a stew commonly eaten by sailors throughout northern Europe in the past, and surviving in different forms there today.
Helvetisms are features distinctive of Swiss Standard German, that distinguish it from Standard German. The most frequent Helvetisms are in vocabulary and pronunciation, but there are also some distinctive features within syntax and orthography.
Swiss Standard German, or Swiss High German, referred to by the Swiss as Schriftdeutsch, or German: Hochdeutsch, is the written form of one of four official languages in Switzerland, besides French, Italian, and Romansh. It is a variety of Standard German, used in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and in Liechtenstein. It is mainly written, and rather less often spoken.
Flädle is a southern German garnish and soup ingredient from the region of Baden-Württemberg consisting of savory pancakes, cut into ribbons.
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Wähe is a baked dish typical of Swiss and Alemannic (German) cuisine. A wähe consists of a casing and a topping of a custard enveloping either fruit, vegetables or cheese. The custard and fruits or vegetables are baked together. The preparation is thus very similar to that of the French quiche or tarte.
Spätzla, Spätzle [ˈʃpɛtslə] or Spatzen are Swabian or Alemannic pasta of an elongated shape which is served as a side dish or with other ingredients like cheese and onion as a main dish. A similar round shape, simplified in production, is native to the pre-Alpine Allgäu regions of Bavarian Swabia and Baden-Württemberg as Knöpfle.
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Spanish Fricco, also spelled as Spanish frikko, is a stew of Westphalian cuisine in Germany. It is a hearty dish prepared primarily using diced beef, potatoes and onions, typically in a cream soup base prepared using butter and sour cream. Pork and lamb has also sometimes been traditionally used. A Frikko recipe is included in the Practical Cookbook first published by Henriette Davidis in 1845. The dish has sometimes been noted for having a relatively unappealing visual appearance when completed.
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Ein Bauer oder eine Bäuerin hatte alle Zutaten, die für die Maluns benötigt werden, auf der Alp und brauchte – ausser Geduld – kein grosses Handwerk für die Zubereitung. Meist wurden sie zu Fasttagen serviert, da sie auch ohne Zugabe von Speck oder Trockenwurst eine reichhaltige Mahlzeit stellen. [...] Einmal wird mehr Mehl als Kartoffeln benötigt, ein andermal dominieren die Kartoffeln. Man kann normales Weissmehl verwenden, oder aber Mais- oder Gerstenmehl. Egal, wie man sie zubereitet, der Schriftsteller und Satiriker Hanns U. Christen empfiehlt in seinem Werk «Das Kochbuch aus der Schweiz», die Maluns mindestens zweimal zur Probe zu kochen, bevor man Gäste einlädt.[A farmer would have all the ingredients needed for Maluns on the alp and – apart from patience – did not need any great craftsmanship for the preparation. They were usually served on fasting days, since they provide a rich meal even without the addition of bacon or dry sausage. [...] Sometimes more flour than potatoes is needed, other times the potatoes dominate. You can use normal white flour, or corn or barley flour. No matter how you prepare them, the writer and satirist Hanns U. Christen recommends in his book "Das Kochbuch aus der Schweiz" to try cooking Maluns at least twice before inviting guests.]
It was at Marschlins that Johann Gubert Rudolf von Salis planted the first corn and potatoes in the canton.
Noch im Jahre 1758 wurden Kartoffeln in Marschlins erstmals als Speise aufgetischt, die Mägde und Knechte wiesen sie jedoch als „ungesund" zurück. Die Wende kam über ein Jahrzehnt später, als eine grosse Hungersnot dazu führte, vermehrt auf den Anbau von Kartoffeln umzustellen. Schon um das Jahr 1800 wurde praktisch in allen Ackerbaugebieten des Kantons Kartoffeln angebaut.[Potatoes were first served as a dish in Marschlins in 1758, but the maids and servants rejected them as "unhealthy". The turning point came more than a decade later, when a great famine led to an increased switch to the cultivation of potatoes. As early as 1800, potatoes were being cultivated in practically all arable areas of the canton.]
Maluns is certainly not an ancient recipe, as can be seen from the fact that it requires potato as an ingredient. It would appear that potatoes were first served here in 1758 at a dinner in Marschlins Castle. Take a meditative look at what is in the pot and you will see that the ingredients for this dish (and others too) reflect the hard physical work of the peasant farmer in days gone by.
Le paysannat des Grisons a lui aussi fait preuve d'imagination en réalisant une recette capable de fournir les calories nécessaires pour effectuer les lourds travaux de ferme. C'est ainsi qu'est né le maluns vers la fin du 18e siècle, un plat comprenant des grumeaux de pommes de terre et de farine rôtis dans du beurre. Le maluns connut une telle diffusion dans les villages de montagne grisons que les habitants des lieux finirent par être appelés les «Magliamaluns» ou «Malauner», ce qui signifie «mangeurs de maluns».[The Grison peasants also showed their imagination by creating a recipe capable of providing the calories necessary for carrying out heavy farm work. This is how Maluns were born towards the end of the 18th century, a dish comprising lumps of potatoes and flour roasted in butter. Maluns became so widespread in the Grison mountain villages that the locals came to be called "Magliamaluns" or "Malauner", which means "maluns eaters".]