Hungarian derelye has a close resemblance to Italian ravioli in its smooth, thin dough and method of preparation. Derelye is most often filled with Hungarian plum lekvár and less often with sweetened túró, and walnut or poppy seed fillings. Plum lekvár is so thick, the spoon can stand up in it, which makes it the perfect filling for derelye. I prefer derelye with sweetened túró or with a filling made from finely ground walnuts. As and alternative to túró I included a cottage cheese filling with the recipe. Derelye is sometimes rolled into buttery, toasted breadcrumbs, but I prefer mine lightly buttered with only a tiny amount of toasted breadcrumbs and icing sugar sprinkled on top. This recipe will yield 3-4 servings. If you don’t intend to use up all the dough, omit the salt, because salt will turn the dough brown. Otherwise wrap the unused portion in plastic and refrigerate it for the following day. I used a pasta roller, but the dough can be rolled out just as easily by hand. Watch the lady on the video preparing traditional plum derelye the old fashioned way.
HUNGARIAN FILLED PASTA
Pasta:3 cups flour
4 eggs
pinch of salt
1 egg white
2+1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
icing sugar for sprinkling
Cottage Cheese Filling:
This cottage cheese filling is a nice alternative if túró is not available.
2 cups dry cottage cheese
4 Tbsp cream cheese
4 Tbsp 14% sour cream
5 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 egg yolk
1-2 Tbsp semolina, only if needed
4 eggs
pinch of salt
1 egg white
2+1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
icing sugar for sprinkling
Cottage Cheese Filling:
This cottage cheese filling is a nice alternative if túró is not available.
2 cups dry cottage cheese
4 Tbsp cream cheese
4 Tbsp 14% sour cream
5 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 egg yolk
1-2 Tbsp semolina, only if needed
• Combine 3 cups flour, 4 eggs and salt and kneed it smooth and velvety into fairly firm dough.
• Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes. This will make the dough soft and easy to roll out.
• In the meantime prepare the cottage cheese filling.
• Crush the dry curd cottage cheese in the food processor.
• Add the rest of the ingredients except the semolina.
• Press pulse a few times.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
• If needed, stir in 1-2 Tbsp of semolina.
• Set aside.
• Roll the dough out very thinly, and cover the other half with a clean kitchen towel.
• Dot one half with a teaspoon of filling 1-1/2 inches apart at regular intervals.
• Whisk together 1 teaspoon of water with the egg white. Reserve the yolk for the filling.
• Brush the dough between the heaps of filling with the egg white mixture.
• Remove the cloth and fold the other half of the dough over the filling.
• Press down firmly in between the heaps of filling.
• Cut into separate squares, each containing one heap of filling, using a pasta cutter.
• Cook in boiling water in a covered saucepan for 8-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile lightly toast 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs in 2 Tbsp of butter until golden.
• Stir it often, breadcrumbs burn easily.
• When the pasta squares are cooked transfer them to a sieve to drain.
• Place in a serving bowl and pour 1 Tbsp melted butter on the top.
• Serve hot sprinkled with a bit of breadcrumb mixture and dust it with icing sugar.
