Rural Hungary

Thought it might be an idea to have a recipe thread where new or favourite recipes can be added for others to try. Would be nice to have Hungarian recipes that you have tried out or perhaps favourite recipes that you have altered due to the lack of a necessary ingredient or even something you have created yourself since being here, using ingredients you wouldn't normally buy in the UK (any offal chefs out there).If possible, give ingredients, weights, steps and cooking instructions

Pollypaprika

What a great idea!

duztee

Yes Good idea Rural.
(even if I do think my ineptitude over flour might have been the spark)

Since the advice about my upcoming gathering was to leave the Goulas to the locals, I was wondering if anyone has a recipe for 'Pogacsa' which I beleive are cheesey bacon scones and the traditional accompliment to goulas.

Easy to buy at the local pastry shop, but I thought I would like to try making some, (if they go wrong I can pop to the shop anyway)

dave1982

I'm sure there are many home recipes and these vary from region to region. My mum used to make delicious ones but she never disclosed her secret to me anyway. As a result I'm forced to google it but you have the advantage of asking a local.

Just to diverse a bit. Its always annoyed me about the spelling and pronunciation the traditional Hungarian dish Goulas.

Gulyas Leves as I've known it is a thick soup or stew with vegetables and beef which i used to eat with fresh crusty bread.

Gulyas pronounced Gooool.......Jaaah....sssh. Don't think that's phenetically spelt correctly.

llareggub

I'm hopeless at following recipes but I love to cook, so will keep my eyes on the thread

In response to the "offal" comment, what do you want to know? I was the first male member of my family not to become a butcher and love all offal and cook with it all of the time in winter (with the exception of pacal)

Rural Hungary

There was me expecting at least one recipe by now

Will add pickled walnuts soon as they are getting near time for pickling. Not well at the moment though so typing is a bit of a strain.

As requested by Duztee:

Toffee brittle, the no liquid method (well, nearly no liquid)
You need a heavy bottom pan - a thin bottom one will burn the sugar.

Simply, add the required amount of sugar plus 1 tablespoon of water per mug of sugar.
Mix the water with the sugar
Put the sugar in the pan and level it
Put the pan on a high heat
DO NOT stir as the sugar will crystallise
Watch the sugar carefully - you don't have time to wander off and get a glass of wine
You will see the sugar start to bubble at the edge of the pot
When you notice the bubbles at the edge starting to turn a golden colour and if you still have a lot of undissolved sugar, turn the heat down a bit or lift the pot off for a few seconds
Once nearly all the sugar is bubbling, you can swirl the syrup round in the pot to incorporate the remaining whiter syrup on top.
Take off the heat as soon as you see the syrup turning a deep golden colour - and before you get that burnt sugar smell
Use quickly as it sets up in no time at all.
It sounds more complicated than it is and you soon get a feel for it.

I rarely allow the children to get sweets and so we make this as a treat using sesame seed, muesli, hazelnuts etc

Evie2

Great new thread Rural....

There seem to be a lot of chicken livers around, so....this is a very easy recipe for `Chicken Liver Pate`. However, I have to point out that all amounts are approx. as I rarely weigh and measure things ! You may want to adjust slightly to suit your own taste.

400grm Chicken livers
100 grm Butter
Finely chopped onion
Crushed clove garlic
3-4 Tbs Brandy
Tbs Tomato puree/paste
Seasoning

Bay leaves & Clarified butter (100 grms ?) **

1) Prepare livers.....cut off any discoloured areas.
(also the small hearts that are sometime attached, if you don`t wish to use them) Pat dry.
2) Melt 50grm of butter and sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and fry for another minute or two. Set onion and garlic aside.
3) Melt another 50grm butter, season livers and gently fry on all sides. Too much cooking will make them tough, although it is best not to leave them pink inside. Stir in tomato puree/paste .
4) Add brandy and flambé. Return sautéed onion and garlic to pan.
5) Check seasoning and leave to cool slightly.
6) `Whizz` to desired texture. Spoon into pots
7) Top with a bay leaf and clarified butter. Chill for a few hours.
The pate will keep for several days (Clarified butter helps to preserve)
Suitable for freezing

** Clarified butter = Butter without milk solids.
Slowly melt butter....the milk solids will sink.
Drain melted butter through a piece of kitchen roll and you should end up
with a clear yellow liquid.
On the other hand,you could cover the pate with cling film!

Variations:- a) Fry a couple of rashers of smoked bacon and add to livers.
b) The small chicken hearts can be sliced and fried too....this
tends to make a slightly rougher pate.
c) Add a few herbs....experiment !

duztee

Since I am now a caramel 'expert' thanks to Rural.

Here's the biscuits.
Quick and easy doesn't need any thing special that is not already in the cupboard.

Make caramel as above, pour onto flat sheet to set in a very thin layer.

Mix 125g softened butter in a bowl with 150g caster sugar until light and creamy.
Add 150g flour and 1/2 (half) tsp baking powder, stir until it makes a ball, (hands are easier)
Smash the hard caramel into tiny pieces and kneed/mix it in.
Divide and roll into 15 little balls.
Only put about 5 on a baking tray and flatten slightly (they will spread as they cook, so don't crowd them)
Bake for 10-12 mins @ 180C (160C ish for a fan oven) I think that is about 4 for a gas oven.

They need to cool to go firm, but by the time you have cleaned and washed up they should be ready.
Not a clue how long they will keep, only made two sets and none of them lasted an hour!

Rural Hungary

Thanks for sharing
I made it quite often and usually in large batches but once I made the mistake of including the hearts and nobody liked it except the cats - they gave it quite a bitter taste.

Rural Hungary

Glad it worked for you
Will give the biscuits a try as I'm guessing they would be like cookies with bits of dime in them - wonder what flavouring dime bars use. thinking of trying a bit of almond essence and butter .....

Pollypaprika

This recipe would be no good for me

duztee

Plan ahead Pol, pour the wine and place by cooker before you start!
Caramel is less than 5 mins so one glass should just be enough.

judybaby

I make Almond Biscotti to have with our mid morning coffee break

250g plain flour
150g caster sugar (should be brown, but white will do)
1 tsp baking powder
rind of 2 oranges
2 eggs
50g toasted almond flakes
50g whole almonds

Basically chuck everything except the almonds in together and mix.
When mixed a bit put in toasted almond flakes.
At end, but before it goes like a dough, put in the whole almonds.

Roll out in to sausage lengths and bake in an oven on a baking tray at 200c for about 15 mins.
Remove from oven and slice diagonally in to biscotti shapes, turn on to their sides and put back in the oven for 10 mins.

Delicious

duztee

Has anyone tried baking Pogacsa? (Bacon scones)
I have always made scones by mixing in cold butter to the dry ingredients, but the hungarian version uses melted butter.
Does it work?

fidobsa

Here in Hungary they sell a brioche type sweet loaf and sometimes they are sold off cheap on the sell-by-date. If I see them reduced like that I buy them to make bread pudding. Yesterday I visited a fruit farm and was told I could help myself to some cherries which were ready to pick. Today I pitted some of the cherries and used them instead of dried fruit in my bread pudding. The basic recipe was that in the link but the quantities were:

Recipe Here

500 gramme foszlós kalács bread
500 gramme pitted cherries
250 gramme granulated sugar
3 medium eggs
1 teaspoon mixed spice

I uploaded some photos into my member gallery but I can't figure out how to link to them on here