Farsz

Farsz is a Polish culinary term referring to the mixture used to fill or stuff various foods. It describes the filling rather than the outer dough or crust and is employed in a wide range of dishes, from savory to sweet. The concept is common in Polish home cooking and in regional specialties.

Common farsz types include meat fillings, vegetable and grain mixtures, and sweet fillings. Meat farsz typically combines ground pork or beef with onion, breadcrumbs or soaked bread, eggs for binding, and seasonings such as salt, pepper, and marjoram. Vegetable and grain fillings may use rice or cooked groats with mushrooms, sauerkraut, cabbage, or grated vegetables. Cheese and potato fillings, as used in pierogi ruskie, combine twaróg (fresh cheese) with cooked potatoes. Sweet fillings may consist of apples with cinnamon, fruit preserves, poppy seeds, or quark-based mixtures for pastries.

Preparation methods vary. Some farsz are cooked before filling (farsz parzony) to improve texture and moisture balance, while others are used raw (farsz surowy). Moisture and binding agents are adjusted with eggs, milk, or bread to prevent leakage during cooking. Farsz is used to stuff many dishes, including pierogi, gołąbki (cabbage rolls), uszka, krokiety, and various pastries and pies.

Regional and family variations are common, reflecting available ingredients and taste preferences. Farsz remains a central concept in Polish cooking, enabling a wide diversity of textures and flavors within a single culinary category.