CREPE FILLINGS

Hungarian crepes are filled with a wide variety of fillings. Sometimes only one kind; sometimes several different types of fillings are used. These are from the sweet variety. Take your pick.

Nut Filling:

3/4 cup walnuts, finely ground

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp hot milk or hot rum

raisins to taste (optional)

• Combine walnuts and sugar.

• Drop by drop stir in hot milk or rum to spreadable consistency.

• Add some raisins if desired.

• Spread 2 Tbsp nut filling on a crepe.

• Roll up crepe.

Ricotta Cream Cheese Filling:

The original cheese filling is made with good quality túró and sugar. It never ceases to amaze me how many Internet and cookbook recipes call for cottage cheese in place of Hungarian túró. Cottage cheese is simply unsuitable replacement for Hungarian túró. 

1 small  block cream cheese [125g] 

1 cup full fat ricotta or farmer's cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

raisins to taste (optional)

• Chop the chilled cream cheese into 1/2 inch blocks.

• In a bowl of a standing beater place the ricotta and the sugar.

• Start the beater on low speed.

• Gradually add the cream cheese blocks slowly beating all the while.

• Slowly beat until the cheeses combine, no longer.

• Stir in the lemon zest and the raisins.

• Spread 2 Tbsp filling on a crepe.

• Roll up crepe.

Nutella Filling:

• Spread 1 Tbsp Nutella on a crepe.

• Roll up crepe.

Jam Filling:

Apricot jam, only apricot jam!

• Spread 1/2 tsp of apricot jam on a crepe.

• Roll up crepe.

Cocoa Filling:

1/4 cup cocoa

2 Tbsp sugar

• Combine cocoa with sugar.

• Sprinkle 2 Tbsp cocoa mixture on a crepe.

• Roll up crepe.

Fruit Filling:

1 cup fresh fruit

sugar to taste

Canadian Maple Syrup

sweetened whipped cream

• Wash, peel, cut and slice fresh fruit.

• Add sugar to taste.

• Drop 2 Tbsp of prepared fruit on a crepe.

• Roll up crepe and drizzle with maple syrup.

• Add a dollop of whipping cream on the side.

CREPES - PALACSINTA

At a certain age both my granddaughters were interested in palacsinta making. I’ve watched my mother making them of course, but I never actually had my hands in the process, except maybe rolling up a few crepes. We were a rather large family back in the days. Some of us ate three or four, but when my brothers started to grow up they could put away a dozen or so. Palacsinta making was like playing a musical instrument. With four skillets going on the stove and nine people taking turns at the kitchen table... the excitement was palpable.   

little Kristen

CREPES 

3 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1- 1/2 cups flour

2 cups milk

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1/4 cup oil for cooking

• Beat the eggs and salt until well combined.

• Gradually add flour while continuing to beat.

• Gradually add the milk while continuing to beat.

• Leave finished batter on the counter for at least 2 hours, or

• Wrap and place in fridge overnight.

• Melt 1/2-1 tsp of oil in a hot no-stick pan.

• Tilt the pan to run fat around all of the bottom pan surface.

• Pour a little batter into pan.

• Remember, you cannot make good crepes unless the pan is hot.

• Keep the heat at only 1 or 2 marks below "HOT".

• Tilt pan, to let batter to run around to cover the pan.

• When the bottom is golden brown and top lost its wet look, flip over.

• Shake pan to settle crepe evenly in pan.

• Cook until bottom of crepe is also golden.

• Tilt pan over plate and slide crepe out onto a platter.

• Repeat until all the batter is used up.

• Spread crepe with a filling and roll up.

• Repeat until all the crepes are rolled up.

• Sprinkle confectionary sugar on the top. Makes 12 - 15 crepes

• When you are comfortable making crepes try using 2 pans.

Our 1972 visit to Hungary: Mamika on the left frying the palacsinta

the little boy on the bottom and the little girl in the back are my babies. 

I am sifting confectionary sugar. 

Postscript 

Crepe batter should be smooth as a baby's bum. 

If you have trouble with lumpy batter the fix is easy: 

HUNGARIAN CURD CHEESE NOODLES - TÚRÓS CSUSZA

This one is a a great example of specialized Hungarian home cooking. One that requires extra care, homemade noodles no less and of course the use of good quality túró.  Túró is similar to fromage frais, but is not. Túró is often translated, very erroneously, as cottage cheese, but it bears no relation to cottage cheese. It would in fact be a travesty if you tried to make túrós csusza with cottage cheese. I suppose you could concoct a túró-like mixture from well drained farmer's cheese and cream cheese, but still it won't be túró. Whatever you do, short of making your own túró or come up with an alternative, I advise you to refrain from using both cottage cheese or ricotta. In any case you owe it to yourself for making túró at least once.

HUNGARIAN CURD CHEESE NOODLES

1 batch of noodles
30 g slab bacon, diced
2 Tbsp butter, melted
salt to taste
1-1/2 cups túró
2/3 cup sour cream

• Make a batch of noodle dough.

• Roll it out thin.

• Instead of cutting, tear the rolled out dough into random pieces.

• Cook the noodles in lightly salted water and drain thoroughly.

• Meanwhile cook the diced bacon until it loses its fat. (Do not crisp)

• Take out the small cracklings with a slotted spoon and set them aside.

• Toss the boiled noodles with 2 Tbsp melted butter.

• Add salt to taste.

• Sprinkle with the fried bacon bits.

• Loosely combine the túró with sour cream.

• Divide túró mixture into two parts.

• Combine one part with the buttered pasta.

• Pour the pasta into a buttered ovenproof dish.

• Top pasta with the remaining túró mixture.

• Place in the oven at 350F to heat through.

• Serve immediately.

ALMOND THIMBLE COOKIES

Also known hereabouts as Birds Nest Cookies, I have also seen them as Thumbprints. My recipe came from a tattered Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. There it listed as Almond Thimble Cookies. Sure the Birds Nests from the bakery have raspberry jam in the middle, but it's so short on nuts the nuts are merely implied. I often wondered how did they do that? Well you will need at least a cup of ground nuts for my cookies.

ALMOND THIMBLE COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup flour
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 cup almonds, finely chopped
jelly or jam

• In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.

• Beat in the almond extract.

• Gradually mix in the flour until the dough just comes together.

• Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

• Roll dough into 1 inch balls.

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

• Dip the balls in slightly beaten egg white and roll into the almonds.

• Place the balls 1 inch apart on the parchment lined cookie sheet.

• Gently make an indentation in the center of each dough ball.

• Bake the cookies at 350F for 5 minutes.

• Remove cookies from the oven and quickly indent the centers again.

• Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.

• Fill hot cookies with jelly or jam. Yield: 22 cookies

PINCHED NOODLES - CSIPETKE

Csipetke is neither noodle nor dumpling. It's a bit of each, but not quite one or the other. It's one of those simple but labor intensive ethnic dishes most people will pass over never knowing how delicious these are...

PINCHED NOODLES
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tbsp oil

• Mix the flour and salt.

• Stir in the egg to make stiff dough.

• Sprinkle in a few drops of cold water if needed.

• Knead until smooth.

• Cover and let dough rest for 30 minutes.

• Roll into strands.

• Pinch or chop into small pieces.

• Roll the dough between the hands.

• Set them on a board to dry, not touching.

• To cook them; drop into simmering soup.

• Cook noodles for 15 minutes or until tender.

PORK PATTIES - FASÍRT

These patties are excellent cold – making them ideal for picnics and for eating on the run. Pork meat should be fully cooked. When the patties are pierced with a fork clean liquid should run. A new product appeared in Canada, “frozen only” ground pork that is unfit for human consumption. There is nothing you can do with it to mask the offensive taste. Stay away from it.

PORK PATTIES
500 g ground pork
2 slices of Bauernbrot rye
1/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup oil

• Place the ground pork in a large bowl.
• Place the bread in a medium sized bowl.
• Pour the milk over the bread.
• When the buns absorbed the milk crumble bread with fingers.
• Add to the meat.
• In a frying pan slowly sauté the onions in 3 Tbsp oil.
• Add onions to the meat.
• Add the egg, salt and pepper and paprika.
• Add the freshly minced garlic and mix well.
• With clean hands form patties and roll each patty into the breadcrumbs.
• Heat 1/2 cup of oil in the frying pan and slowly fry patties in batches on both sides until golden.

EGG DUMPLINGS - NOKEDLI

Before dumpling makers came onto the scene, all my grandma needed was a handheld wooden board and a large chef's knife to cut the nokedli into the boiling water. Watching her hands move quickly I used to wonder if I ever will learn it, but thankfully I never had to. Quite early on I wrote home and asked for a metal nokedli cutter, here known as spaetzle maker. 

It is imperative to for the spaetzle maker to fit over the pot full length with the end hook resting on the pot's rim comfortably. One of my medium large dutch ovens is the perfect size for this. It is possible to use a smaller pot, but chances are you will have a lot of clean up afterwards. 

As for the dough some people use milk instead of water, but it makes no difference in the taste or the texture. There are deferring opinions how hard or soft the dough should be. I make my dough soft, [use more water] and the nokedli quickly falls through the holes. Consequently I don't cook them long, Once a batch is in the pot I wait until the entire pot comes back to full boil and then quickly pour it through a large colander. I rinse it under cold running water, let it drip and then heat it up in a large skillet with a generous amount of butter. 

EGG DUMPLINGS

3 cups flour

4 eggs
salt to taste
1 cup water
3 Tbsp butter, melted

• Combine the flour, eggs, salt and water.

• Beat vigorously to form a smooth, pliable batter.

• Boil 16 cups of water.

• Add 1 tsp of oil.

• Place a dumpling (or spatzle) maker over the pot.

• Push the dough through the holes into the boiling water below.

• When the dumplings float, pour into a large colander.

• Rinse the dumplings under cold running water.

• Drain the dumplings shaking the colander to remove all excess water.

• Pour the dumplings into a large bowl and add 3 Tbsp melted butter.

• Toss to coat with butter.

• Add the buttered dumplings to a large skillet and heat through.

This is a good dumpling maker

This dumpling maker is hard to clean

BEEF PAPRIKA - MARHA PÖRKÖLT

Use only Hungarian Paprika. You could put in a truckload of Spanish paprika and still not get the taste, color and aroma that real Hungarian Paprika gives to a dish. The same with sour cream; use the real stuff – just use it sparingly. The slop they call “light sour cream” or “no fat sour cream” ruins everything you put it on. But first, read the truth about Hungarian Paprika.

BEEF PAPRIKA
1 kg lean beef, cubed
2 medium onions, diced
1/4 cup oil
3-4 Tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
salt, pepper
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 green pepper, diced
1 tomato, crushed
14% sour cream

• Dice the onions.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan.
• Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent.
• Add the cubed beef and brown lightly; turn to sear every side.
• Stir in the paprika and the caraway seeds.
• Stir in the green pepper and the tomato.
• Add water to cover half way up the meat.
• Bring to slow, steady simmer, cover with lid and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Add more water if necessary, so the stew doesn’t burn.

• When meat is tender simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce sauce.
• Serve over Egg Dumplings with sour cream on the side.


  

APRICOT GLAZE

Apricot glaze is used for fruit coating, cake filling, tart shell glazing, and as an adhesive to stick marzipan or fondant to the cake’s surface.

APRICOT GLAZE

1 cup apricot jam
3 Tbsp water

• In a small saucepan heat the jam and water until melted.
• Pour through a sieve, pressing through with a wooden spoon.
• Warm up glaze before use.

STEAK

Primadonna chefs tend to frown on well-done steaks with the claim that fully cooking a steak ruins it. There are restaurants that post on their menu “Not responsible for steaks ordered Medium Well or Well Done” I suppose its easier to burn up some shoe leather than to take 10 minutes of care preparing a well-done steak. And that is why I prefer to make my own.

STEAK
strip loin grilling steak
salt to taste
1/2 fresh lemon
oil
pepper, freshly ground
butter

Follow the recipe for a tasty, tender, and well done steak.
Adjust the cooking times* for a steak of your taste.

• Wash the steak in cold water.
• Pat to dry with paper towels.
• Place steak on a platter.
• Lightly salt it.
• Squeeze a little lemon juice on it.
• Top it with a little bit of oil.
• Turn the steak over and repeat with the other side.
• Let steak sit on room temperature for 3 hours.
• Pepper the steak on both sides.
• Heat up a non-stick pan on just under medium heat.
• Add 2 Tbsp of oil to the pan.
• Add a 2 Tbsp of butter to the oil. It should sizzle.
• Bottom of the pan should be well coated with 1 or 2 mm of butter.
• Add the steak to the pan and do not touch it.
• Place a lid on the top.
• Do not move steak or lift the lid for 6 minutes.
• Just before turning steak, add another knob of butter to the pan.
• Turn the steak and place the lid on the pan.
• Again, do not touch steak or lift the lid for 6 minutes.

• Remove steak from the pan, put on a heated plate, and cover with the lid.
• Keep the pan juices warm over minimum heat.
• Let steak rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• This allows the meat fibres to relax - giving a more tender bite.
• Pour some of the pan juices on top and serve.

*Steak Cooking Times:

Well-done: 5-6 minutes on each side
Medium: 4 minutes on each side
Rare: 2-3 minutes on each side
Bleu: 1 minute on each side
 

CURD CHEESE DUMPLINGS - TÚRÓGOMBÓC

I loved these as a child, as an adult I would crave them from time to time… but for some reason every time I went back to Hungary my mother never made them and I forgot to ask. It was a long time coming, but about ten years ago when I finally found a way to make túró this was the first dish I made from it. Made with a combination of túró, semolina, and eggs, the mixture is cooked into dumplings and coated with lightly toasted bread crumbs. It is best eaten with a sprinkling of confectionary sugar and a dollop of sour cream. Not a dessert though, túrógombóc is generally served as a main course following a bowl of homemade soup. 

CURD CHEESE DUMPLINGS

2 egg yolks

sprinkling of salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 pkg. vanilla sugar
1-1/2 cups túró
grated zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
5 Tbsp farina
2 egg whites
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
powdered sugar
sour cream

• In a medium bowl combine 2 egg yolks, salt, sugar and vanilla sugar.

• Cream the yolk mixture until light and fluffy.

• Add the turó, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir to combine.

• Mix in the farina and set the mixture aside.

• Beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form.

• Gradually fold the beaten egg whites into the turó mixture.

• With damp hands form balls and set them aside.

• Put a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring it to boil.

• Meanwhile melt 3 Tbsp butter in a non-stick pan.

• Add the breadcrumbs and gently fry until golden.

• Keep stirring and do not let the breadcrumbs burn.

• Remove pan from the heat and set it aside.

• One by one slide the turó dumplings into the boiling water.

• Reduce heat to medium and cook dumplings until they come to the surface.

• Remove floating dumplings with a slotted spoon and place them on a platter.

• Let them drip for a few seconds before sliding them into the golden fried breadcrumbs.

• Gently shake the pan to coat the dumplings.

• Serve the curd dumplings sprinkled with powdered sugar.

• Add sour cream on the side. Makes 12 to 15 dumplings.

PANCAKES

Fluffy and oh so nice with Canadian Maple Syrup. I like to use 2 small nonstick skillets. Heat them up slowly on low medium, never high. Add only about a tsp of oil to the pan before the first pancake, the following pancakes will not need oil. Keep the temperature steady and flip it over after the bubbles appear. 

PANCAKES

2 cups flour

5 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp oil

3 cups milk

• In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.

• In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil and milk.

• Stir until just blended together. Do not over stir.

• Heat a lightly oiled non stick frying pan on medium heat.

[Flick a little water across the surface. If sizzles, the pan ready.]

• Ladle 1/2 cup of batter in the pan.

• When air bubbles appear on the surface, flip and brown.

• Serve hot.

COTTAGE CHEESE CUSTARD SLICES - TÚRÓS KRÉMES

This is one of the few recipes where Hungarian túró was successfully replaced with dry curd cottage cheese. The resulting recipe of course is completely different from the original. Therefore I would not recommend making this with túró. This recipe was specifically designed for dry curd cottage cheese.

COTTAGE CHEESE CUSTARD SLICES 
Pastry:

2 cups flour
Scant 1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 eggs
Filling:

500 g dry curd cottage cheese (do not substitute)
2/3 cup margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups icing sugar
1 pkg. vanilla sugar
lemon zest, finely grated
1 pkg. Vanilla Jell-o Instant Pudding mix,
and the milk the Jell-o Instant Pudding mix calls for

• Line an ovenproof rectangular dish with parchment paper.

• Combine the flour, butter, icing sugar and eggs.

• Divide in two parts.

• Roll out the first dough to fit the parchment lined dish.

• Bake at 375F until golden.

• Remove paper and slice pastry into serving size pieces.

• This will be the top. Set aside to cool.

• Put parchment paper back into dish.

• Bake the second pastry.

• Remove parchment paper and put the pastry back into the dish.

• Slice the pastry to correspond to the first pastry.

• This will be the bottom. Set aside to cool.

• In a large bowl place the butter, icing sugar and vanilla sugar.

• Cream until well combined and fluffy.

• Add the lemon zest.

• Place the milk (that your pudding mix calls for) in a blender.

• Add the curd cheese and puree smooth.

• Add the curd cheese mix to the bowl with the margarine mixture.

• Beat to combine.

• Add the vanilla pudding mix.

• Beat until well combined.

• Spread the filling on top of the cooled and sliced pastry layer inside the dish.

• Arrange the first set of pastry on the top.

• Wrap and place in the fridge for overnight. (Do not omit this step)

• Sift the top with icing sugar and slice.

LOW SUGAR BANANA CAKE

A completely delightful cake, delicate and oh so lovely. 

LOW SUGAR BANANA CAKE

Cake;

1 cup ripe bananas, mashed
2 Tbsp light sour cream
2 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup cake flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/6 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup Splenda
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Cooked Frosting:

2/3 cup half and half

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/4 cup Splenda

1/6 cup coconut sugar 

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• Line 2 8-9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter, sugar and Splenda until fluffy.
• Add the mashed banana, sour cream, eggs and the vanilla.
• Beat until smooth.
• In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
• Scrape the batter into the parchment lined pans, smoothing the surface.
• Bake at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes, until cake springs back.
• Cool in pan, and frost with Low Sugar Cooked Frosting
• Combine half and half, flour in a 1 quart saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes or until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
• Boil 1 minute.
• Cover surface with plastic food wrap; cool completely.
• Beat the Splenda, sugar, butter and vanilla in large bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
• Gradually add cooled flour mixture.
• Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy.

LASAGNA

This recipe calls for a three layer lasagna. To have more layers, you will need a deep lasagna pan and just divide the meat sauce and the ricotta mixture further.

LASAGNA
3 cups tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup onions, chopped
220 g lasagna noodles, cooked
250 g ricotta cheese
250 g mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
450 g lean ground beef (please do not use regular hamburger)

• Cook lasagna noodles to package directions to al danté. Set aside.
• In a large heavy saucepan sauté the onions until soft.
• Add the lean ground beef and sauté until no longer red.
• Add the garlic, salt, basil, parsley and oregano.
• Stir in 2 cups of tomato sauce mixing well.
• Simmer on VERY low heat for an hour.
• Add more tomato sauce if needed.
• In a bowl, combine the egg and ricotta cheese.
• Lightly oil a 15" x 12" or larger, deep sided baking pan.
• Arrange first layer of noodles across the pan.
• Leave the ends hang over the sides. (They will be pulled over the top layer.)
• Spread half of the meat sauce on the top.
• Spread half of the ricotta cheese on the top.
• Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on the top.
• Add a second alternating layer of pasta.
• Spread the rest of the meat sauce on the top, reserving 4 Tbsp.
• Spread the rest of the cheese mixture on the top.
• Add the top layer of lasagna noodles.
• Fold over the ends of the first layer of noodles.
• Top with reserved 4 Tbsp meat sauce.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cheeses bubble.
• Cover and let it set for 10 minutes before cutting.
• Serve lasagna with sour dough loaf and extra Parmesan cheese.

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

A Fry's Cocoa recipe...

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup icing sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa

• Cream the butter until soft and fluffy.

• Beat in the icing sugar.

• Stir in the flour, salt, and cocoa mixing well.

• Shape into a roll and wrap.

• Chill the dough for 1-2 hours.

• Slice and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

• Or omit last three steps and shape into 1 inch balls.

• Place on parchment lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

• Flatten balls with a fork.

• Bake at 300F for 20-25 minutes.

• Remove from oven and cool slightly.

• Remove from pan.

HOMEMADE VANILLA SUGAR

Some desserts require stronger vanilla flavor than vanilla extract alone can provide. Finding vanilla pods takes a bit of effort; vanilla sugar is even more problematic to hunt down. So a while back I started making vanilla sugar myself. I keep all the used vanilla pods to refresh the jar of vanilla infused sugar.  going.  

1-1/2 teaspoons of homemade vanilla sugar to replace 1 pack of commercial vanilla sugar.
1-1/2 teaspoons of homemade vanilla sugar can also be exchanged for 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract.

HOMEMADE VANILLA SUGAR

1 sterilized jar with tight fitting lid
1 jar of superfine sugar
3-4 used vanilla pods, cleaned and dried

• Take a clean, completely dry sterilized jar.
• Fill the jar halfway with superfine sugar.
• If using fresh pods, slice the pods in half lengthwise first.
• Add some fresh or used vanilla pods to the sugar.
• Cover the top with more sugar.
• Secure the lid and give it a good shake.
• Place in a cool, dark and dry place for 3-4 weeks.
• Keep adding the used vanilla pods as they become available.
• Top it off with more superfine sugar if needed.
• You can never have too much vanilla flavour.
• The beans will be releasing aroma for up to 2 years.

LAYERED POTATOES - RAKOTT KRUMPLI

Rakott krumpli was standard fare when I was growing up. We almost never had it with sausage, the eggs and the sour cream required were expensive enough. This would be served following a soup and on its own. There was no salad, and definitely no dessert. We had salads only in season and dessert was relegated to Thursday and Sunday afternoons. Life has been good to us in Canada. 

LAYERED POTATOES

3 medium red potatoes
3 eggs
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup sour cream
1/8 cup milk
1 dry Hungarian sausage or Landjäger, sliced
salt

• Set the oven to 350F.

• Hard-boil the eggs.

• Slice the potatoes.

• Place the sliced potatoes in a heatproof dish and cover with water.

• Microwave the potatoes until almost tender. [for about 12-14 minutes]

• Butter a casserole dish.

• Peel and slice the hard-boiled eggs.

• Slice the sausage.

• In a small bowl stir the milk into the sour cream.

• Place about half the potatoes in casserole dish and sprinkle with salt.

• Arrange the sliced eggs on the top and sprinkle with salt.

• Scatter the sausage slices on the top.

• Spread the top with half of the sour cream mixture.

• Lay the remaining sliced potatoes on the top and sprinkle with salt.

• Spread the remaining sour cream on the top.

• Bake the layered potatoes for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

POZSONY NUT CRESCENTS – POZSONYI KIFLI

I grew up in Budapest. One floor down lived my childhood friend Mari. The friendship with Mari was the only one that survived space and time. The last time we talked on the phone she was in a lot of pain. She passed away in September 2020. Mari had a deep connection to Leilah and Olivia.  I truly miss her. But that's not the story. 

Mari had an older sister, Zsuzsa. When Zsuzsa was a new bride and didn't feel like cooking, she went to the bakery and bought a dozen pozsonyi kifli. When hubby came home from work she said she was too tired to cook: baking the pozsonyi took all her energy. It's not that difficult to make pozsonyi. But the husband didn't know that. Take this story with a grain of salt. Zsuzsa told somebody and somebody told Mari and Mari told me. Haha I never made pozsonyi without recalling the story of Tormássy Zsuzsa and the pozsonyi. 

POZSONY NUT CRESCENTS

Pastry:

3-1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp cold butter
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sour cream
Filling:

2 cups ground walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup hot milk
Glaze:

2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

• In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, icing sugar, instant yeast and the salt.

• Chop the cold butter into small bits and add to the flour mixture.

• With clean hands rub the butter into the flour until well combined.

• Add the egg yolks and the sour cream.

• Kneed the dough until just smooth and cover with a clean tea towel.

• Let the dough rest for 1/2 hour.

• Meanwhile prepare the walnut filling:

• Bring 1/8 cup of hot milk to boil.

• Gradually add some of the hot milk to the ground walnuts.

• Form 24-26 balls.

• Flatten the dough balls, slightly stretching the two ends.

• Roll them into ovals.

• Slightly beat the egg whites with a fork.

• Brush the egg white around the edge of each oval.

• Set aside the remaining egg white for later use.

• Divide the filling between the ovals.

• Roll up each oval and pinch the edges together.

• Turn the pastries over with the seals down.

• Form crescents and place them on a prepared baking sheet

• Brush the crescents with lightly beaten egg yolk.

• Let the crescents rest on the counter for 45 minutes.

• When the egg yolk is no longer tacky, brush the tops with egg white.

• Move the baking sheet with the crescents into the fridge and chill for 45 minutes.

• Remove crescents from the fridge and poke [the sides] of each crescent three times with a toothpick.

• Bake the crescents in a preheated oven at 375F until golden brown.

EMPIRE COOKIES

Empire cookies are delightful. The shortening is what makes them soft. 

EMPIRE COOKIES
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 Tbsp hot water

• In a large bowl cream the shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

• Combine flour and shortening mixtures until well blended.

• Chill for 1 hour for easy rolling.

• Roll out dough 1/8" thick on a lightly floured surface.

• Cut into 2" rounds

• Re-roll leftovers and cut more rounds.

• Place on ungreased baking sheet.

• Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

• Cool completely.

• Spread jam on half of the cookies.

• Top with remaining cookies.

• Combine icing sugar, almond extract and hot water to make a thin icing.

• Frost tops of cookies.

• Decorate tops with candied cherries. Makes 2 dozen

CUTTING BAR COOKIES

"We eat first with our eyes". Neatly arranged food will be liked more than the same food presented in a messy manner. Messy presentation indicates messy preparation. 

CUTTING BAR COOKIES

NEATLY
Before baking bar cookies, line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper and butter it. Extend the paper above the edges of the pan. Allow the cookies to cool completely in the pan. Don’t use aluminum foil, it sticks to bar cookies.

You have to wait and let bar cookies cool first. It’s hard to wait, but if you want perfectly sliced bar cookies, you have to wait.

After cooling, place the cookie pan (with the bar cookie in it) in the freezer for 20 minutes or longer to harden.

Remove pan from the freezer. Lift the sheet of cookies from the pan and move it to the cutting board by grasping the edges of the paper and pulling upward. Peel off the parchment paper and discard it.

Use a ruler to mark the cuts with a knife.

First trim the edges straight and square. Put the cut off bits into a heavy Ziploc freezer bag and freeze it. Keep adding to the bag as you do your Christmas baking. These will make a great base for no bake cookies later.

Lightly score the top of the bar where you want to cut it.

The bar is frozen so you can't slice it; you have to lean on the knife and grasp it with both hands. With one clean motion cut all the way through the base of the cookie with your chef's knife*. Cut uniform squares, rectangles, diamonds or triangles.

Partially frozen or frozen cookies require a heavy knife and chef's knife works the best.
*
  

SEMOLINA SOUP DUMPLINGS – GRÍZNOKEDLI

“Egy tojást felversz, belekevered a grízt, olyan legyen mint a jó malter, csipetnyi só. Fövő sós vízbe beszaggatod a galuskákat. Ha túl lágyra kevered szétesnek, ki kell dobni! Ha túl keményre akkor kemény marad s azon úgy segítesz, hogy hideg vizet öntessz hozzá, lefeded és alacsony tüzön lassan felfőzöd. Akkorák lesznek mint az öklöd és finom puha de nem omlós. Úgy is tettem, azóta minden galuskám igen finom. Isten nyugtasson Drága Édesanyám. Toronto Kanada” Yes, well, my guess is he had to have a few failures before he learned to make this stuff.

I keep getting questions from people about gríznokedli, those lovely Hungarian soup dumplings. There is more on semolina here and an alternate, easier recipe is here. I can't recall semolina dumpling problems, back in the day in Hungary. But of course there was only one type of gríz and the only challenge cooks faced was who can make the largest and airiest dumplings.

SEMOLINA SOUP DUMPLINGS

Scant 2/3 cup [100 g] semolina

1 large egg

salt

3-1/3 Tbsp [50g] soft butter

• Combine ingredients, cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• Fill a medium Dutch pot with water and bring to a steady simmer.

• I use a soup spoon to scoop up the semolina mixture and a teaspoon to guide it into the simmering water.

• Dip the tablespoon into the simmering water and scoop up about a half a tablespoon of farina mixture.

• Dip the spoon into the simmering water and guide the semolina mixture into the simmering water.

• Repeat until all the semolina mixture is gone.

• With a large slotted spoon transfer dumplings to a dish.

• To serve transfer 3-4 dumplings to the soup bowl and pour the hot soup on the top.

• Do not store these dumplings in the soup.

HUNGARIAN CURD CHEESE – TÚRÓ

Turó is an essential ingredient in Hungarian cooking. Túró is similar to fromage frais, but is not. Túró is often translated as cottage cheese, but it bears no relation to liquidy cottage cheese. Dictionaries sometimes translate it as curd cheese or quark or farmer’s cheese. But it’s none of the above. Túró is distinctly different from ricotta, because ricotta is made from scalded whey. (The stuff left behind when túró is made.) It also differs from cream cheese in its usually much lower fat content (about the same as yogurt), and it is completely salt free. Túró is wonderful, fabulous and there exist no replacement for it. Túró is not readily available outside of Hungary. So unless you have a cow or know someone who has one, you can’t make túró right? Wrong! Making túró from pasteurized milk is possible. With the active bacteria in buttermilk, even pasteurized milk can be turned into túró. The actual work involved is minimal; the only effort is letting it sit on the counter for a couple of days and than transferring it to the oven for a few hours. After that you just let it drain. So the only effort is giving it time, because you cannot just open a package and start using it right of way. Oh, but its well worth the wait!

HUNGARIAN CURD CHEESE
4 liter 3.25% milk
1 liter 3.25% cultured buttermilk [buttermilk has to contain "active culture"]

• Pour the milk and the buttermilk into a large stainless steel stockpot with ovenproof handles.
• Cover and set it aside on the counter, near the stove or a warm place for 24-48 hours.
• Let it sit until the mixture has the consistency of thick yogurt.

• Take off the lid and move the stockpot with its contents into the oven and heat it at 200F (which is approximately 93.3 in Celsius) for 6 hours or longer. This will make the curd separate from the whey.
• Test the consistency; it should be homogeneous curd throughout.
• If in parts the curd still resembles yogurt, the túró is not yet ready. Put it back in the oven for a little while longer, never raising the temperature above 200F.

• Meanwhile place a large sieve over a large bowl and line the sieve with cheese cloth.
• When the curds and the whey are truly separated, pour the pot’s contents into the cheesecloth lined sieve. Most of the whey will run through the sieve.
• Let the remaining whey drip down for 2-3 hours.
• The 1.25 kg or 5 cups plus curd in the sieve will be real túró and it should last in the fridge for up to a week.

It was 11PM and my last batch was nowhere ready for separation. I turned off the oven and just left the pot with the half made curd sit in the oven overnight. The next morning I turned on the oven and by the afternoon we had túró.

   

CLEAR BROTH ASPARAGUS SOUP

The starter dish is always soup. Good soup. Instead of bowls, Hungarian soup is served in “soup plates” that look like large pasta bowls. There are various types of soups, loaded with robust flavour or creamy or delicate featuring a single vegetable. Such as this one. 

Use good quality, homemade meat stock. Not replaceable with vegetable stock. If you clean your freezer or fridge don’t make stock from old meat scraps or wilting vegetables. The bouillon cube or flavour packet is not your friend either. If you have no stock, use water instead. But be sure to reduce the water to four cups or increase the asparagus. Too much water makes for lame soup. Always simmer slowly, never boil soup.  

CLEAR BROTH ASPARAGUS SOUP

6 cups chicken broth
1 pkg. fresh asparagus
Salt and ground pepper

• Wash the asparagus.
• Snip off the woody ends.
• Set aside the tender asparagus tips for use later.
• Place the woody ends and the chicken broth in a pressure cooker.*
• Pressure cook for 20 minutes.
• Remove pressure cooker to the sink.
• Open only when pressure gauge is deflated.
• Pour most of the stock through a sieve into a clean soup pot.
• Puree the remainder in a blender and pass it through a sieve squeezing out all the juices.
• Discard the stringy parts.
• Cut the reserved asparagus stalks into 1 inch pieces.
• Add to the pot.
• Bring to simmer and slowly simmer until asparagus is tender.
• Make soup dumplings from one lightly beaten egg, flour, salt and water.
• Spoon the dumpling batter into the simmering soup.
• Slowly cook until dumplings have floated to the surface.
• Cover the pot and remove from heat to steep for 10 minutes before serving.

* Without pressure cooker the woody ends should be slowly simmered in 3 cups of water for a couple of hours. Puree and put it through a sieve before adding it to the chicken stock.

FLUFFY BROWN SUGAR FROSTING

Cooked egg white frosting is a classic cake and dessert topping. Egg whites, sugar, and flavourings are gently heated in the top of a double boiler and continuously beaten into a fluffy meringue. Best known is the 7 Minute Frosting. At first they are lofty but will start to collapse by the next day. This entire recipe is 655 calories.

FLUFFY BROWN SUGAR FROSTING

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup cold water

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Dash of salt

2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

• Partially fill base of a double boiler with water; cover and bring to boil.
• In double boiler top (do not place it over water), combine all the ingredients except vanilla.
• Beat with egg beater at full speed for 1 minute.
• Then set in place over rapidly boiling water.
• Beat mixture constantly with egg beater at full speed, while cooking for 7 minutes.
• Remove the double boiler top from boiling water.
• Add the vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes.
• Fills and frosts generously two 8" or 9" layers, or an 8" x 8" x 2" cake, or 1 dozen cupcakes.

ROASTED HALF TURKEY

I asked the butcher to cut a fresh twelve pound turkey in half. I froze one half and roasted the other. It cooked so fast I had to turn the oven down to 325F to stretch the roasting time. I ended up with a juicy, evenly cooked and browned bird. The four of us had several helpings with plenty of sandwich meat left for the following day. For a larger group place the two halves in the pan and roast them side by side. I don’t think I will ever roast another Norman Rockwell again.  

ROASTED HALF TURKEY

6 lb half turkey
salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
fresh thyme and sage sprigs

• Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels.

• Lightly rub salt into the bird on both sides.

• Place it on a platter and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

• Turn the oven on to 350 Fahrenheit.

• Discard the juices and place the bird skin side up in a roasting pan.

• Tuck the wing under.

• Place the thyme and sage sprigs beside the bird.

• Distributing evenly, spoon 2 Tbsp of olive oil on the top.

• Cover the bird and roast at 350F for 1 hour.

• Remove the cover and reduce heat to 325F.

• Begin to baste bird with its own juices.

• Continue basting at 15 minute intervals.

• Roast for 1-1/2 hours longer.

• Remove from oven when thermometer in breast registers 170F.

• Lift turkey from the roasting pan and tent it to rest for 15 minutes.

• Make the gravy.

• Carve and place turkey on a serving dish.

Roasting Turkey Parts:

In a preheated oven at 350 Fahrenheit

Half Breast: 18 to 25 minutes per pound

Whole Breast: 15-20 minutes per pound

Drumsticks: 10 minutes per pound

Thighs: 10 minutes per pound