Obatzda

This Obatzda is so delicious and creamy. It’s packed full of flavor and the perfect dish to make the night before a get-together.

Update: The post below was originally posted on October 27, 2011.

Look at the calendar! Just a few days left to milk my Oktoberfest theme! If there were one month to be stuck in for all kinds of reasons, let it be October. Here is the spread from this past Sunday.

It is called Obatzda, which sounded more Polish to my husband but, from what I can gather, is Bavarian in origin. It is a bier hall staple served with bread, crackers, or pretzels. This delicious spread (dip? condiment?) pairs nicely with radishes, pickles, pickled onions, or really anything one might want to accompany deeply flavored cheesiness, along with a good dark German beer like a Dunkel. 

Although born of bier hall revelry with all of its 44-ounce stein-swaying imagery, Obatzda is at home in the home as well. Take Halloween night, for example. Who has time to sit down to a nice meal when the doorbell is ringing every two minutes?! Solution —set out a bowl with some bread (Pretzel Buns are a good choice), and veggies, like sliced radishes and gherkins, and the whole crew can get some wholesome sustenance in between Fun-size Whatchamacallits. Hmmm. Those sound good too!

*Update– I used a Beck’s Dark beer when I first photographed the recipe in 2011. It has since been discontinued in the U.S. Another good choice would be a Warsteiner Dunkel.

Obatzda

By Nicole Prep: 15 minsCook: 30 minsRefrigeration Time: 2 hrsTotal: 2 hrs 45 mins Servings: 3 cups This Bavarian bier hall staple will be well received in your home for an Oktoberfest party or any gathering!

Equipment

• 14-cup food processor

Ingredients 

• 1 medium bulb of garlic
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• 1 pound Camembert cheese, rind removed and cut into pieces; at room temperature
• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup dark German beer
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ½ cup sweet onion, finely diced; rinsed under cold water and dried on paper towels
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Accompaniments

• Radishes, sliced
• Gherkins
• Rye Crackers
• Pretzel Buns, Homemade or store-bought

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Using a sharp knife, cut the garlic bulb in half. Keeping the halves together, place the bulb on a sheet of aluminum foil; drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Wrap the foil around the bulb and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the garlic cloves have softened and caramelized, about 30-35 minutes. Once the bulb is cool enough to handle, squeeze the top and bottom of the cut bulb to extract the roasted cloves; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the Camembert, cream cheese, butter, and beer; process until smooth. Add the reserved garlic, caraway, and paprika; process to combine. Add the rinsed and dried chopped onion and pulse 2 to 3 one-second pulses just to incorporate. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the cheese mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving. Sprinkle with chopped chives and more freshly ground black pepper. Serve with sliced radishes, pickled gherkins, rye crackers, and pretzel buns. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional values do not include accompaniments.

Nutrition

Calories: 809kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 72g, Saturated Fat: 44g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 20g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 207mg, Sodium: 1457mg, Potassium: 419mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 2602IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 660mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.