Christmas in Hungary is the most important holiday and amongst many things means a time for bejgli! Families are busy making their own and they are stack high in the shops and markets too. By far the most popular are the walnut and poppy-seed paste…
These aromatic honey-ginger cookies are easy to make, ideal for tree decorations, make nice presents and good to eat on their own. The dough could be made days ahead and stored in the fridge until use. In Hungary shop bough spice mixes are a popular…
Kocsonya [ˈkot͡ʃoɲɒ] is an Eastern European festive dish, that truly defines the “nose to tail” eating that entails using the less fashionable cuts. “If you’re going to kill the animal it seems only polite to use the whole thing.” as the often quoted Fergus Henderson said in…
This characteristic soft egg noodle with finely grated potatoes in the dough is poached in a creamy sheep cheese sauce and has crispy lardons scattered on top. Widely known to originate from the Slovakian region, with Hungary as a firm fan. Hungarians mostly refer to…
A nice alternative to meat dishes with all the taste. It’s very similar to the Hungarian classic paprika chicken but with mushrooms. Ingredients (4 persons) 500 gram (1.1lb) white mushrooms (sliced into chunks) 1 tablespoon oil (sunflower or olive) 1 large yellow onion (finely chopped)…
Two basic ingredients, pasta and cabbage flavoured with a bit of caramelised sugar and freshly ground black pepper with a delicious result. The flat square-shaped pasta is quite an authentic version but any pasta shape will do. I broke up some lasagna sheets here with good…
In Hungary the carnival season (Farsang) that precedes Lent starts early January and ends mid February. During this time many fun festivities, masquerades, balls taking place in order to scare off winter and welcome spring. One of the traditional foods are these sweet doughnuts served…
This is a creamy soup using the classic Hungarian ingredients of paprika, onion, garlic and sour cream. I used chestnut mushrooms here but white mushrooms are just as fine.
There are quite a few regional differences in the ways to cook fisherman’s soup in Hungary. The three main known versions are from the region of Lake Balaton, from the southern town of Baja by the Danube or perhaps the most famous if from the…
A true winter warmer, made with soured cabbage and tender stewed meat, often seen on the Christmas table too. Usually prepared in large quantities then reheated thoroughly with a bit of water the next day(s) again. Custom says the more you reheat this dish the…
“Kakaós tekercs” (Chocolate roll) or “Kakaós csiga” (Chocolate snail) is a much-loved popular breakfast pastry in Hungary, especially amongst children, and the subject of mild envy at the elevenses break at school if someone had these. Story time: Once I politely offered a bit to…
A rustic vegetable dish usually served with roast meats or fasirozott (fried meatball patties) but nice with just some bread or langos which is a fried flat bread. Despite being simple it can be very tasty if the cabbage is cooked right, tender but still retained a…
A popular versatile meat dish a bit like a Hungarian hamburger, the meat is loosened up with some soaked then squeezed bread rolls and binded with a bit of egg. They are nicely spiced with finely chopped onions, garlic, paprika powder and fresh parsley. Often…
This soup is using only a few ingredients, ideal for a quick-lunch or as a starter for a bigger meal. The yellow wax bean variety is referred to as “green beans” in Hungary and most green bean dishes made with these. The soup has an…
A family favourite and children’s delight. Ripe plum with a bit of sugar and cinnamon encased in a soft potato dough cooked then rolled in toasted breadcrumbs. One of my grandmothers made these but only occassionally as she was always so busy around the house…
A nice lunch dish made with freshly picked yellow waxed beans, fresh dill and a good portion of sour cream. Served with a bit of meat stew like pörkölt or as on the picture (thanks mum!), paprika chicken. Good to try with green beans and…
These days I make this dish with lean ground turkey but the traditional is made with pork. For a most authentic taste use Hungarian wax peppers (image below), if it’s not available any other sweet pepper will give you a lovely tasty meal. Good choice…
Who doesn’t like pancakes? Hungarian pancakes are one of a kind, more like crepes. I find them quite distinctive from other types of just as lovely pancakes I tasted elsewhere. They are thin and delicate, made with part milk and part sparkling water, giving it…
