Pasta Z Jaj (Egg Spread)

Pasta z jaj (literally “paste from eggs") is a staple Polish sandwich spread you’ll find at every Easter table and most weekday breakfasts across Poland. Hard-cooked eggs and sliced baked ham get ground together, but the trick is stopping short of a puree. You want a rough, chunky texture that holds up on bread, not a smooth paste that slides off.

Sweet paprika ties it all together with a warm, earthy color and gentle pepper flavor. The vegetable oil keeps everything moist and spreadable without making it greasy.

Chef Tips

• Use a food processor with quick pulses rather than letting it run. Three to four pulses should get you to the right texture, coarse and slightly crumbly.
• Cold hard-cooked eggs grind more cleanly than warm ones. Chill them completely before processing.
• Baked ham works best here because of its firm texture. Deli ham is too wet and thin to grind properly.
• Spread it thick on dark rye bread or use it to fill hollowed-out cucumber rounds for an appetizer.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of Polish mustard (musztarda) for a sharper bite.
• Fold in finely diced dill pickles for a tangy crunch.
• Swap sweet paprika for smoked paprika to give it a deeper, campfire-like warmth.