Hungarian Culinary Delights: 3 Traditional Recipes to try at Home

Tradition is comforting. Especially in trying times. These traditions are oftentimes rooted in the land, and are thus, region-specific. Hearkening back to these traditions can perhaps offer a glimpse of hope in days ahead. 

Here are three traditional Hungarian recipes from zserbo.com that use many of the same ingredients. These basic ingredients, such as potato, flour, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, sour cream and bacon, form the basis of a myriad Hungarian delicacies. Each household bears different traditions, which also vary from region to region. Certain households will add local surprises to these dishes: a bit of dill, Hungarian kolbász, or a few juicy raisins to dessert dishes. What is interesting about these recipes is that they are frequently favoured in regions of the Hungarian diaspora. 

So let’s get started! 

Dumplings with ewe cheese (jútúrós strapacska) 

Ingredients 

• 500 g (~4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 250 g (~9 oz) potato
• 2 whole eggs
• 250 ml (~1 cup) water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 200 g (~7 oz) Hungarian bacon
• 250 g (~1 cup) ewe cheese, bryndza, Hungarian cottage cheese
• 300 ml (~1 1/4 cups) sour cream
• 2 garlic cloves

Method 

First, peel and grate the potatoes. Then, place flour in a bowl. Add shredded potatoes, eggs, salt and water. Boil a big pot of water. Make sure to a dash of salt to the water. Make little dumplings by scraping the dough off a cutting board into the boiling water or by using a Hungarian nokedli szaggató, or dumpling maker. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Strain the dumplings and set aside. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry. Place the ewe cheese or other variant in a bowl. Grate garlic into cheese mixture, along with the sour cream, bacon, bacon fat. Stir this cheesy mixture with the dumplings in a separate greased dish. Roast this flavour explosion at 220°C for around 15-20 minutes. For an extra twist: add caramelised onions on top or some chopped chives. Serve warm! 

Polenta with Cottage Cheese and Bacon (túrós puliszka) 

Ingredients 

• 400 ml (~1 2/3 cups) cream or milk 
• 100 ml (~1/2 cup) or more, sour cream
• 120 g (~2 1/2 oz) polenta (ground cornmeal)
• Pinch of salt
• 20 g (~1 1/5 tbsp) butter
• 100 g (~3 1/2 oz) sheep milk cheese or Hungarian cottage cheese 
• 80 g (~3 oz) Hungarian bacon

Method 

Place the cream or milk, and salt in a saucepan and bring it the mixture to a boil. Add the cornmeal and stir, while cooking on a low setting. Add butter to the mix and keep stirring until you get a smooth consistency. Place the mixture into a greased baking dish. Put one layer of this cornmeal mixture on the bottom of the dish, then a layer of cheese, followed by a layer of cornmeal. Repeat. Place a layer of bacon on the top. Put the dish into the oven for around 15-20 minutes at about 200°C. The bacon should be crispy on the top of the dish. Serve with fresh sour cream! 

Cottage cheese crêpes (túrós palacsinta) 

Ingredients 

For the palacsinta batter 

• 250 g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 whole eggs
• 500 ml (~2 1/5 cups) milk or 50-50 % milk and soda water
• 25 ml (~1 1/2 tbsp) oil
• a dash of salt

For the filling 

• 250 g (~1/2 lb) Hungarian cottage cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tbsp sugar or honey 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or fresh vanilla shredded from a vanilla pod 
• zest of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp sour cream

On top 

• 250 g (~9 oz) sour cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method 

Beat the eggs. Add salt and sugar. Add half of the milk, some soda, then gradually add the flour. Pour in the remaining milk and beat until mixture becomes smooth. Stir in the oil. Melt a bit of oil or butter in a frying pan. Make around 20 thin pancakes or crêpes. Make the filling: combine cottage cheese with egg yolks, sugar and the sour cream. Add the lemon zest and some vanilla. Beat egg whites, and gently fold into this cottage cheese mixture. Fill the crêpes one by one, and place them in a greased baking pan. Make the topping: mix sour cream with egg yolk, and a bit of sugar. Spread on top of lined up crêpes. Bake at around 200°C for approximately 20-30 minutes. 

For a healthy twist: add fresh fruit like blueberries or banana on top! 

All in all, these recipes will surely warm the heart. 

For other recipes with cottage cheese, check out:

Recipe of the week: Hungarian cottage cheese pasta (túrós csusza)

Recipe – Irresistible homemade Túró Rudi with vanilla

Source: https://zserbo.com/