Hungarian Cheese Pogacsa Recipe

I may be a little rusty, 6 months is rather a long time to be absent, but here goes.

Our church has this wonderful annual event called the "International Food and Culture Fest".  People sign up for a table, and bring food from their home country.  We have Indian, Italian, Mexican, German, Filipino, and of course, Hungarian.  :) This year we also invited Panamanian, Chilean and Indian dancers, which was really fun!

This year, Dan and I decided to make Hungarian biscuits called "pogacsa".  There are many different types; fruit-filled ones, meat-filled ones, but the most common ones are the cheese ones.

My Hungarian grandma's are the best.  Of course everyone thinks their grandma/mom make the best, but mine really does.

Unfortunately, I didn't have her recipe, but I found a really good one at relish.com.

Ingredients

Dough

1/2cup whole milk, heated to 110F to 115F 

1package active dry yeast (about 2 teaspoons)

1/2teaspoon sugar

4 cups all-purpose flour

5ounces finely shredded Gruyère cheese (we used smoked - it added a great dimension)

1tablespoon salt

2 eggs

14 tablespoons (1 3/4) sticks softened unsalted butter

1/2cup sour cream

Topping

1 egg yolk

2ounces finely grated Gruyère cheese or other cheese

Instructions

1. Combine milk, yeast and sugar and let stand until yeast is softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Combine flour, cheese, salt, eggs, butter, yeast mixture and sour cream in a large bowl. Mix on low speed until dough comes together. Beat on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. 
3. Roll dough 1⁄2-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Make a shallow cross-hatched pattern with the point of a sharp knife over the top of the dough and brush with egg yolk.
   
   Sprinkle cheese on top, and cut out rounds with a 1- to 1 1⁄2-inch cutter.
   
4. Arrange circles in rows on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1⁄4-inch apart. Put pan in a cold oven and set temperature to 400F. Bake about 25 minutes, until pogácsa are nicely browned on their tops and bottoms. Let cool completely and store airtight. Pogácsa may also be frozen up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat at 225F for 20 minutes.

Now, my pogacsas turned out a little denser than I would've liked them, but they tasted great, none the less.  

The yummy pogacsa on my beautiful Zsolnay Hungarian porcelain.

Dan bought some salami to go with it, and voila!

Szalami/Salami.

Apro pogacsa/Mini pogacsa.

Representing Hungary! (Only a real man can pull off a pink apron.)

Some Hungarian cook books, pictures, and of course yummy food.

My favorite view, the Budapest skyline.
That print was a wedding gift from my great uncle.

And so, for another year, we showed our Hungarian side!

As a bonus for making it through my post...

I may or may not have also done a Hungarian folk dance.
You're welcome.

What would you like to see me make next year?  Join the conversation!

Blueberry and Blackberry Streusel Topped Pie

I really enjoy baking, but it seems like I never have time anymore.     So, when I had actual vacation time over Thanksgiving, I decided to make up for lost time.
I love streusel, and a couple years ago, I posted this recipe for Streusel Coffee Cake Muffins.  I used the same recipe for the streusel part.
I wasn't as "Betty Homemaker" on this, I used a pre-made crust, and store-bought pie filling.  But, it was yummy, and the streusel was a nice touch, so I thought I'd share...

You'll need:

- Pie pan

- 1 pre-made Pilsburry pie crust

- 1 egg white

- 1 can of blueberry pie filling

- 2 cans of blackberries (not the pie-filling kind, just regular)

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 cup flour

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter (chilled)

- Kitchen scissors

- Fall-themed cookie cutters

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Press pie crust into pan.  Cut off extra that hangs over.  Set that aside.  We'll be using it later.

3. Mix together blueberry pie filling and drained blackberries.  Pour into pie crust.

4. In a separate bowl mix together brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and butter.  Mix together (using forks or a hand mixer), until there are small pieces of butter left.

5. Pour a generous amount on the top of the pie.

6. Roll out the leftover dough we set aside earlier, and cut out some fall leaves.  Place them in a pretty pattern on the top of your pie.

7. Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  If you find that the top is getting too brown too quickly, put a sheet of aluminum foil over it, to slow down "browning".

Yummm... that's all I have to say!

So, tell me, what's your favorite holiday pie flavor?

Do you have any tricks that make it your own?

Horthobagyi Palacsinta (Horthobagy Savory Meat Crepe) Recipe

Can you ever have enough Hungarian food?
I'm going to go with a resounding "no".  So, for your enjoyment, I'm am giving you the recipe for "Horthobagyi Palacsinta" or in English, Hortobagy Savory Meat Crepe.

This is a family favorite of ours, and my mom and dad went on a little "day date" a couple months ago, and posted pictures of them eating it.  So, pregnant me wanted what I saw.  But, considering there are no Hungarian restaurants in my area, I figured it was up to me to fill that void.

Horthobagyi palacsintas are basically a crepe, filled with a savory meat filling, with some sour cream/paprika sauce poured overtop.  I have some Hungarian cook books, so I turned to them for help.  I found that you can basically use any meat to fill them, and that you basically follow a recipe for chicken paprikas for starters.  You can find my family's secret chicken paprikas recipe right here, however, just incase you're too lazy to click on the link, I'll give it to you right here.

You'll need:

Paprika Chicken:

Skinless/bones chicken breasts (approx. 1/2 breast/serving) (I used 6 breasts)

1 1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp. paprika

1 large Vidalia onion

2 Hungarian wax peppers (I've been able to find them at Publix)

2 tomatoes

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cup of sour cream with 2 tsp flour mixed in.

Directions:

Cut up the chicken breasts into bite sized cubes (traditionally Hungarians will use the legs, and whole breasts, but Mary and my mom adapted it a little to be kid-friendly, and I like it better this way).  Chop the onion as finely as possible.  The first time my mom made chicken paprika with Mary, she cut up the onion "finely", and showed it to Mary.  Mary said "are we feeding the army?".  My mom said "No", and Mary said, "Well, then it needs to be chopped finer".  Mind you, Mary is not a critical lady, but if she says the onions need to be chopped finely, they do.  You may feel like you want to use a food processor, however my mom said she tried that one time, and it didn't work, because the oils and the liquid from the onions separate from the actual onions, and it doesn't have the same taste.

Pour 1/4 cup of oil into a pot, put on med/high heat.  Once hot, add the onions.  

Stir them around in the oil until fully cooked through, but make sure not to brown them, it'll give your paprikas a burnt taste.  

Once they're cooked through, TAKE OFF HEAT.  This is important, because you're going to be adding the paprika, and it can burn easily if added while on the heat.  Also, at this point, you can add the 1 1/2 cup of wine.  Put it back on the heat, and bring to a boil.  

When it reaches a boiling point, add the chicken.  Mix it around, until the chicken doesn't look raw anymore.  

Raw

Not raw.

When you've achieved that, cut your two tomatoes and two pepper in half, take the seeds out of your peppers, and simply place them on the top.  Use medium sized tomatoes.  I used some large ones, and they let out too much juice.

Put the lid on the pot, change your heat to a medium heat, and set your timer for 30-40 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked all the way through, take out and discard the peppers and tomatoes.  Then add the sour cream to the chicken.  

Here's where it changes.  After this, separate meat from sauce (as well as you can), and mince the meat (you may want to add some 

of the sauce, to make the mincing easier).

Crepes/Palacsintas.  

This is where I entered into new territory.  My crepes weren't great.  I probably should've used a bigger (9 inch) pan, but I've never made crepes before.  Is there anything that I should be aware of before trying them again next time?  Is there some trick to it?

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 tbsp vegetable oil

pinch of salt

Directions:

Beat eggs, milk and salt in a mixing bowl.

  

Slowly add flour, stirring constantly.  The mixture should not be lumpy.

Let mixture stand for at least 30 minutes.

Pour tbsp of oil in pan, and fry up some crepes!

Once they're done, fill with minced meat (like a taco)

roll it up, tuck in ends, and pour sauce (that you separated from meat) overtop.

  

You can garnish with parsley, or Hungarian wax pepper, or tomatoes, or some extra sour cream.

Something that would go really well with this dish is what Hungarians call "savanyusag", which is basically pickled anything.  It's how they used to keep produce around while they were out of season.  Another classic would cut up vegetables, like tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, with some oil and vinegar drizzled on top.  Like this:

Here are a couple tips:

1. Make chicken paprikas for your family (with dumplings), and use the left over chicken to make these.

2. Know how to make crepes.  And then let me know. :)

Hope you enjoy these, and that they're a hit with your family too!

Hungarian Sour Cream and Potato Soup

I haven't used the word "crave" yet during my pregnancy, because I'm saving it for when I wake up at 3 in the morning, and make Dan go to Walmart and pick up something for me.

I have, however had a couple hankerings.  Don't ask me what the difference is between craving, and hankering, it's semantics.  But I'm using it.

So, I had a hankering a couple weeks ago for my Mary's (see her story here) sour cream and potato soup.  It's what we got as kids instead of chicken noodle soup when we were sick, and as far as I'm concerned, it's better.  But, I realize I never had YOUR mom/grandma's chicken broth or chicken noodle soup, so if you disagree with me, I will not argue this point. :)

Mary has bought a computer, and learned how to use the internet since we moved away, solely so she can stay in touch with her kids.  So, I emailed her, asking for her potato soup recipe.  

Now, because this stuff is so good, and I'm not a great chef, and can't guess the ingredients in things, I did not expect this recipe to be so simple.  But it is stupid simple.  Seriously.  So, I decided a recipe like this, that even someone as cooking-challenged as I can master, had to be shared.  I already shared it with a friend of mine, and she made it for herself, and it turned out pretty awesome if you ask me.

So, here's what you need.

Ingredients:

5-6 (egg-sized) red skin potatoes

4 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon flour

Salt

Pepper

Vegeta (I'll explain)

(Makes about 4 servings, takes about 20 minutes)

Directions:

1. Pour 4 1/2 cups of water into a pot.  (I've always had it with peeled potatoes, but you can leave them unpeeled like my friend did)  Cut the potatoes into similar, bite-sized chunks.  (My brilliant husband told me that if you put them right into the water after cutting, they won't get brown.)

2. But pot on med-high heat, bring to a boil, and boil until potatoes are cooked through.  (Easy way to tell, is to stick a fork in it, and if you can stick it in, and pull it and with ease, they're done.)  During this time, add salt and a couple pinches of Vegeta.  Vegeta is a European spice, similar to Mrs. Dash.  It's salty, with some bits of dehydrated vegetables in it.  You should be able to find it in the ethnic section of your grocery store, or just an ethnic grocery story.  I've found it in Middle Eastern stores, and also at Rowes IGA in Jacksonville.  This is what it looks like.

3. While the potatoes are boiling, in a small pan, on a low-med heat, combine oil and flour.  This will act as a thickening agent.

4. Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the thickening agent (rántás, in Hungarian) to the potatoes and water, and bring it back to a boil.  

5. Add 3/4 cup of sour cream (that's an estimate, if you want more, go for it!), pepper, and Vegeta to taste.  I'm always afraid of adding too much Vegeta, because I love the stuff.  But you need a decent amount, to give your potato soup some good flavor.

6. Serve with a slice of hard-crust, thick cut bread (for dunking)!

Pardon the color of this picture, my kitchen light isn't friendly.

Tips:

- If you can't find Vegeta, substitute with regular salt

- This soup warms up really well

- Remember, this is a "get well", "feel good" soup.  You don't want it to be too heavy, or too flavorful.

Hope you enjoy this, and remember it next time you feel under the weather, and need a food hug.

Paprika Chicken- Secret Family Recipe

Let me tell you a story about one of the most spectacular ladies in history, Mary.  She was the second oldest child in a family, that lost their mother and oldest sister in war.  She raised her siblings, and when they were out of the house, she got a professional job.  In her 40-s, she met a divorced man, they exchanged letters, and eventually got married. There was one thing that she felt was missing in her life.  A family of her own.

Skip forward about a decade.  A young couple with a 10-month-old baby leave their lives and families in the States, follow God's call on their lives, and move to Hungary.

They were taking language classes, and needed to find a lady to watch their baby during the day.

Enter Mary.  Varosi Marika, really, but she told them to call her "Mary".  She not only took care of their baby, she loved on her, and on them, she sang to her, read her her favorite stories over and over again, swung her, until she could swing no more, took her into her heart, and didn't let go.  And then, her two brothers came along, and their family was complete.

Dan and I with Mary over Christmas.

God gave a woman who was created to be a mother 2 children and 3 grandchildren.  He gave a young family in a new place the love and guidance they needed.  That, and good food...

So, here is my Mary's Paprika Chicken recipe.  My family's secret recipe.  She taught my mom how to cook Hungarian food, and I was happiest when sitting on her counter "taste-testing" her home-cooked goodness.

This Sunday, our church is having their "Food Fest", where everyone brings dishes from their countries, or family recipes, so I decided to share this dish with my FCCC church family.

It consists of two parts, the chicken in the paprika sauce, and the dumplings (nokedli). 

Paprika Chicken:

Skinless/bones chicken breasts (approx. 1/2 breast/serving) (I used 6 breasts)

1 1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp. paprika

1 large Vidalia onion

2 Hungarian wax peppers (I've been able to find them at Publix)

2 tomatoes

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cup sour cream with 2 tsp flour mixed in

Dumplings (nokedli):

2 cups flour

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup water

Salt

Vegetable oil

Directions:

Cut up the chicken breasts into bite sized cubes (traditionally Hungarians will use the legs, and whole breasts, but Mary and my mom adapted it a little to be kid-friendly, and I like it better this way).  Chop the onion as finely as possible.  The first time my mom made chicken paprika with Mary, she cut up the onion "finely", and showed it to Mary.  Mary said "are we feeding the army?".  My mom said "No", and Mary said, "Well, then it needs to be chopped finer".  Mind you, Mary is not a critical lady, but if she says the onions need to be chopped finely, they do.  You may feel like you want to use a food processor, however my mom said she tried that one time, and it didn't work, because the oils and the liquid from the onions separate from the actual onions, and it doesn't have the same taste.

Pour 1/4 cup of oil into a pot, put on med/high heat.  Once hot, add the onions.  

Stir them around in the oil until fully cooked through, but make sure not to brown them, it'll give your paprikas a burnt taste.  

Once they're cooked through, TAKE OFF HEAT.  This is important, because you're going to be adding the paprika, and it can burn easily if added while on the heat.  Also, at this point, you can add the 1 1/2 cup of wine.  Put it back on the heat, and bring to a boil.  

When it reaches a boiling point, add the chicken.  Mix it around, until the chicken doesn't look raw anymore.  

Raw

Not raw.

When you've achieved that, cut your two tomatoes and two pepper in half, take the seeds out of your peppers, and simply place them on the top.  Use medium sized tomatoes.  I used some large ones, and they let out too much juice.

Put the lid on the pot, change your heat to a medium heat, and set your timer for 30-40 minutes.  
When the chicken is cooked all the way through, take out the peppers and tomatoes.  Then add the sour cream to the chicken.  That's it!

Start working on your dumplings.

In a mixing bowl combine flour, eggs and water.  Beat well, and adjust measurements until the mixture doesn't "drip" but rather "tears" or "plops" off.  

I have a nifty dumpling cutter that my mom gave me, but I'm not really sure where you can get one. 

This is what it looks like.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and vegetable oil.  Then, set the dumpling cutter on the top of the pot, pour some of the mixture into the cup part, then start moving the cup back and forth, until all the dumplings are cut, and in the boiling water.  

When the dumplings raise to the surface, wait just a few seconds longer, and then fish them out with a hand-held strainer or one of those serving spoons with the holes in them.  

Place them in a dish, and drizzle a little more oil on them, to keep from sticking.

And you're done!

Decorate as you wish, and serve to loved ones.

And here I am, representing Hungary at our church's annual Food Fest.

So, that is the story of a woman created to love with a mother's love, and the family that was blessed enough to be on the receiving end of it.  And were happy to eat her scrumptious food.