[...] We have already discussed other types of Burgenland kitchen food. Simple dishes which are still great favorites to those who grew up with them, soul food which brings back memories and remains the taste of the Burgenland. One such dish is perhaps the simplest of all. Combinations of flour of various sorts, fat, eggs, salt, milk, etc. The Burgenländers call it "Sterz".
Donita M. M. Considine writes:
My maiden name is Marakovits. My Grammy (Mary Stubits from Harmisch, who is still alive) would often make eiersterz (pronounced almost like OYah-shtetz with Gram's dialect.) When we would ask Gram how to make them, she would say, "Take 2 handfuls of flour...." or if we ask how long you cook them, "They'll be done in no time!" You could never get a straight answer!
Anyway, my uncle measured the amount of flour in her hands one day and we wrote down the recipe for those who are interested. I still make the oyahshtets regularly but I think I am the only one in my (second) generation.
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups milk (use whole)
- 2-1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste - I add more)
- 1/3 cup oil
Combine ingredients well. Heat some oil in heavy pot (not non-stick). Must be really, really hot. Aunt Theresa says that when you think it's hot, it's not hot enough. I use medium-high heat. Pour batter in pot. Immediately scrape bottom with a wooden spoon or batter will burn. Then, turn batter occasionally to let it brown well and break it up into smaller pieces. When all traces of "wet" have disappeared, remove from heat. Add more salt to your taste. When I asked Grammy how long it should take, she kept repeating, "They'll be done in no time." If the oil wasn't hot enough, the eiersterz won't brown easily and won't seem to cook, even after a long time. In that case, throw it out and try again. I say from the time the batter goes into the pot, it should take about 10 minutes or less to cook.
Some Austrian we met in Australia said his mother also makes "sterz". However, she browns them under the broiler briefly before serving them. Mr. Kresge (German) at Northampton High School said that his mother also makes a version of sterz, but she bakes the batter in the oven.
VARIATION (who knew this dish was so flexible??):Aunt Anna recently said that she puts the oil right in the batter. She adds a bit more oil to the pot.