The poor potatoes

(varianta in limba romana.....mai jos)

I remembered my grandmother (moata* from Apuseni Mountains) and her 'meal on earth '. And, always, everything was related to 'the poor potatoes', a dish which wasn't missing when the forerunner of a religious holiday job was in progress and when , the agriculture work not allowed us going home to eat.

Then, there and only in those days and times, meals were served on earth, all being seated round a dazzling white cloth, with an atmosphere almost sacred pointed by ritual gestures of my grandmother that began with a broad cross, with 'Our Father' and ending up  with a prayer of thanksgiving, with 'the poor potatoes' aet from a clay bowl, in a complete silence, willy like to thank the Divinity for what we have and what we'll have, respecting up to piously the importance of food in our lives.

And, after she gathered dishes and  pots, grandmother broke a twig from a young fir tree, a twig that she placed, on the way back home, at a crossroads of roads, on the arm of a roadside cross. At the question  "why does'' she simply said  ..." it's for the souls of unripe and taken "

Much later I found that, "the unripe and taken" were two of her children, aka my uncles, John and Nicephorus, twins, both died of polio.

A belief in a sacred ritual, a ritual in which 'the poor potatoes' were as a medium or, rather, as a purifying mediator between the divine forces and the humble layman who worship to them.

Directions:

Peeled potatoes and cut into 4. Boil and drain them. 

In oil, fry onion cut in julien shape then add paprika, stir in it few times and then add potatoes. Hold them on heat until become golden. 

Serve it with pickles or what you want. It may be a kind of appetizer or, a garnish for meat or... just as it is.

Legend:

*moata = woman from The Land of  Moti ( middle part of Apuseni Mountains)

Cartofii saracului sau Cartofii saracuti

Romanian version: 

Pentru a afla o poveste a 'produsului' accesati ... Masa pe pamint.

Indicatii:

Cartofii curatati de coaja si taiati in 4, se fierb de trei sferturi apoi se scurg. In ulei se prajeste ceapa taiata julien apoi se adauga boia si cartofii fierti. Se tin pe foc pina se auresc cartofii. 

Se servesc cu muraturi sau...cu ce vreti voi. 

Poate fi un fel de mincare aperitiv sau garnitura la carne sau...doar asa cum e. 

Eu ii maninc pur si simplu cu zacusca.

Enjoy!