Riplianka

Riplianka is a traditional hearty dish of the highlanders of Transcarpathia, a kind of “local relative” of mamalyga. Its name comes from the old dialect word “ripa,” by which in Transcarpathia they called the potato — the main ingredient of the dish.

Riplianka is made thus: boiled potato is mashed, and then, continuing to work it right over the fire, corn flour is gradually added until the mass becomes thick and uniform. At the end, brynza (salted sheep's cheese) and a fry-up of cracklings and onion are generously added to the dish, which make it especially tasty and hearty. Hot riplianka with melted brynza is a simple, nourishing, and warming dish, ideal for the harsh mountain climate. This dish is a colourful example of the distinctive Carpathian cuisine, in which potato, maize, and sheep's cheese combine into inimitable gastronomic combinations.