Veka (pastry) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Veka

Type	Pastry
Main ingredients	Wheat flour

Veka (which is called bułka paryska or bułka francuska in Polish) is a popular type of bread. It's a bit like a fluffy, wide baguette from France, but Veka is usually bigger and has a smoother top. It's a favorite in countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland.

Veka is made from wheat flour. Each loaf usually weighs about 350 grams, which is a bit less than a pound. People love Veka because it's soft and can be used in many different ways!

Different Names for Veka in Poland

Did you know that Veka has many different names depending on where you are in Poland? It's a bit like how a soda might be called "pop" or "cola" in different parts of your country!

• In the city of Kraków, it's simply called "weka."
• If you go to Łódź, people call it "angielka."
• In the area of Upper Silesia, you might hear it called "lynga" or "weka."
• Near Poznań and Jelenia Góra, it's known as "kawiorka."
• Sometimes, it's also called "bułka kielecka" or "bułka wrocławska," named after the cities of Kielce and Wrocław.

How Veka is Used in Czech Cooking

Veka is a super important ingredient in Czech cooking!

• It's often used to make special open sandwiches called obložené chlebíčky. These are slices of Veka topped with all sorts of yummy ingredients like ham, cheese, eggs, and vegetables.
• Eating obložené chlebíčky as a quick snack is very common. You can even find special shops called chlebíčkárna (which means "bread shop") that sell only these open sandwiches!
• Veka can also be used to make certain types of knedlik, which are a kind of dumpling.
• It's also a main ingredient in a sweet dish called žemlovka. This is a baked dessert made with layers of Veka, fruit (like apples), and a creamy mixture.

How Veka is Made

Making Veka involves several steps to get that perfect fluffy texture. It's a careful process, almost like an art!

• How Veka is Made
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  1: First, the dough is cut and weighed to make sure each Veka is the right size.

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  2: Next, the dough is carefully molded into a basic shape.

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  3: The shaped dough pieces are then ready to go into a special machine.

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  4: This machine helps to roll the dough up...

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  5: ...into the long, rounded shape that Veka is known for.

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  6: Here you can see the dough after it has been rolled by the machine.

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  7: Sometimes, the dough is rolled again by hand to get it just right.

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  8: More rolling helps to create the perfect texture inside.

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  9: The ends of the dough are gently squashed to seal them.

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  10: One last roll ensures the Veka has its final, smooth shape.

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  11: Finally, the perfectly baked Vekas are taken out of the oven, ready to be enjoyed!