Food mysteries are my jam. Like ask me to deconstruct a thing you ate or try to find the thing your aunty made in the 1970s. I will do my best to help you find an answer. I might not be quick, but I’m tenacious. Jenna mentioned a nut roll from her youth and try as she might she couldn’t recreate it. I called my Polish friends and they sent me recipes. I searched the web. I found the one below was an outlier in that it had vinegar and margarine in the recipe. On the chance it might be the one, I made her the roll, and Jenna says this is it!

Jenna’s Polish Nut Roll

Dough:

5 cups flour plus some for kneading

1/2 cup sugar

1 pound margarine

4 egg yolks, reserve whites for filling

1 cup milk, divided

2 packets of dry yeast, or 4 1/2 teaspoons

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Nut Filling:

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 pound walnuts, ground

Egg wash:

1 egg white

Combine 5 cups of flour and sugar. Rub the margarine in. You can use butter instead of margarine but add salt or use salted butter. Heat half the milk to 115 degrees, -warm. Add the yeast, let sit 5 minutes. Combine the egg yolks with remaining cold milk. Pour the egg yolks into the flour/sugar mixture. Add the yeast mixture. Blend until incorporated. Add the vinegar and knead until a loose smooth dough is formed. Turn out onto a well floured surface and knead a few times to create a smooth ball. It will be very soft. Place in a oiled container and cover, refrigerated overnight.

To make the filling, whip the egg whites to soft peaks then add the sugar by the spoonful, in about 8 additions. Add the lemon juice once the eggs are stiff. Remove from the mixer and fold in the nuts by hand.

Preheat oven 375 degrees

Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Roll one into rectangle with the long side facing you, spread 1/5 of the nut mixture on the dough, into a thin layer. Avoid taking the filling to the edge of the dough, leave about one inch around the parameter without filling. Roll long side up so you have a long log looking loaf. Place seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Two fit per sheet. Brush with egg white, bake 40 minutes.

Makes 5 loaves.

NOTES: This pastry is tender and but not very sweet. If sweet is important to you, create an icing or glaze to top the roll once it is cooled.

Also, four out of five split while baking. Following the traditional recipe it doesn’t call for a rise after the rolls are made. Knowing what I know, I’m inclined to let them rise 30 minutes before baking. Perhaps that would keep them from splitting in the oven. They were not rolled tightly.