Cilantro Pesto and Krakow Pajda

Pajda is what to ask for in Krakow. Pajda means “thick slice” – of country bread, upon which is smeared lard, garlic, onions, and spicy sausage. Pajda goes well with hunger.

Krakow was easily my favorite city in Eastern Europe. Great energy to the place, the bombs of WWII missed it, and there happened to be a street festival in the square with pajda, minstrels, and all kinds of artisans. KP and I were joking about finding a polish sausage to eat for dinner. And then I realized that Polish sausage isn’t a joke.

And cilantro pesto goes well with everything. Just like KP.

Cilantro Pesto

Adapted from My Favourite Pastime

1/2 cup raw cashew nuts or walnuts or pine nuts

5 cloves garlic chopped

1 small onion finely chopped

2 cups loosely packed cilantro

1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste

4 tablespoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons white wine vinegar

½-2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the cashew nuts, walnuts garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro, chili flakes, salt, lemon juice and vinegar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Slowly pour in the olive oil and process until semi-smooth, about 10 seconds. You can put this on anything– SOOO good!

Haikus coming– can’t find my notebook in the midst of this packing and painting!