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Ketwurst
Ketwurst: East Berlin's hot sausage pushed into a hollowed toasted roll filled with ketchup
Ketwurst, from ketchup plus Wurst, was invented in 1977 in East Berlin as the GDR's own fast food, served from state-run snack counters around Alexanderplatz. A long roll was speared onto a heated metal spike to hollow and toast it at the same time, the hole was filled with a spicy ketchup and a hot boiled sausage, usually pork, was pushed inside. It vanished after reunification but is back at a few kiosks in Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain, eaten on the go at lunchtime by Berliners who grew up with it. Chef's tip: heat the sausages in water just below a simmer; boiling hard splits the skins.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 long crusty white rolls (dairy free)about 18 cm
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp mild curry powder
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Bring a pan of water to the boil, turn it down so it barely trembles, add 4 pork bockwurst or frankfurter-style sausages and heat for 8 minutes, until piping hot to the centre (160°F).
8 minStep 2: Meanwhile, cut a thin slice off one end of each of 4 long crusty white rolls (dairy free). Push the handle of a wooden spoon lengthwise into the soft crumb and twist to make a tunnel that stops about 2 cm from the other end. Common mistake: pushing right through; the ketchup runs out of the bottom.
3 minStep 3: Toast the hollowed rolls in the oven for 4 minutes, until crisp outside and warm inside.
4 minStep 4: Warm ½ cup tomato ketchup with ½ tsp sweet paprika and ¼ tsp mild curry powder in a small pan over a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring.
2 minStep 5: Spoon 2 tablespoons of warm ketchup into each roll, push in a sausage and top up with a little more ketchup. Wrap the bottom in a paper napkin and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ketwurst take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of tomato ketchup?
- Tomato purée with a pinch of sugar and a dash of vinegar.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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