Hungarian Pancake Recipes

HUNGARIAN PLACKI (POTATO PANCAKES WITH SPICY TOMATO-BEEF SAUCE)

Steps:

• For the Hungarian-style tomato-beef sauce: Place the ground beef in a large skillet. Brown the ground beef and put on the side. In a different saute pan, add the vegetable oil and heat. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the green and red bell peppers and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, paprika, crushed red pepper, garlic, cayenne and the browned ground beef. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Please note that the sauce can be made in advance.
• For the potato pancakes (placki):Combine the potatoes, onion, eggs and flour in a large bowl and mix well. Add salt and pepper. The mixture will be on the thicker side. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil, and flatten down gently with a spoon. Turn the heat to medium. Cook until the are golden brown on each side.
• To serve, place 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of 2-4 pancakes and garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream and parsley.

HUNGARIAN SAVORY PANCAKES (PALACSINTA)

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, club soda, and water. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla to form a smooth batter.
• Heat a teaspoon butter in an eight-inch skillet. Use a small ladle to add enough batter to coat bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer, rotating the pan as needed to cover.
• Cook for two minutes on the first side and one and a half minutes on the second side or until the pancake is lightly browned. Remove and keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and batter.
• Fill with your choice of scrambled eggs with mushrooms, creamed meats, seafood or vegetables. Roll or fold into a triangle and garnish with a savory sauce of choice and a sprinkle of chopped chives, if desired.
• They also can be formed into a "beggar's purse" to resemble a tiny money bag and tied with a blanched chive.

HUNGARIAN CREPES: PALACSINTA

Steps:

• Mix eggs, flour, milk, sugar and salt to make a smooth pancake dough. Let the dough rest for 1 to 2 hours.
• Stir in the carbonated water at the last moment, just before cooking the pancakes.
• Heat an 8-inch frying pan. When the pan is hot, add 1/4 teaspoon of the butter. Let butter melt and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan.
• Pour a ladle of the batter into the pan and gently tip and twist the pan so that the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan. When the top of the batter bubbles, turn the pancake over and cook for 4 or 5 seconds longer. Remove the pancake. Continue until the batter is all cooked; add butter before cooking each pancake.
• Serve by spreading raspberry jam, cocoa mix, or your favorite filling and roll up the pancake, serve with fresh berries.

HUNGARIAN PANCAKE

Steps:

• For the stew: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pork, paprika, mushrooms, carrots, onions, peppers, salt and pepper in a roaster and roast 45 minutes.
• For the potato pancake: Mix the onions, eggs, potatoes with their starch and some salt and pepper. Add the flour until the batter becomes thick but not too thick. Heat oil until hot in a pan. Spoon the batter into the pan and form a pancake. Fry on one side until brown, then flip and continue frying until both sides are brown, about 6 minutes.
• Check the pork to make sure it is fully cooked. Strain the juice from the meat and vegetables, add to a pan and simmer over low heat. Slowly add flour into the juices to thicken the gravy.
• Place the meat and vegetables on top of the potato pancake, cover with gravy and serve with sour cream.

HUNGARIAN SWEET PANCAKES (PALACSINTA)

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs , milk, club soda, and orange juice. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract to form a smooth batter.
• Heat 1 teaspoon butter in an 8-inch skillet. Use a small ladle to add enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer, rotating pan as needed to cover.
• Cook for 2 minutes on the first side and 1 1/2 minutes on the second side or until the pancake is lightly browned. Remove and keep warm while cooking the rest of the pancakes with the remainder of the butter and batter.
• Fill with any combination of fruit preserves, sugared ground nuts, whipped cream and fresh fruit, pie filling, etc., and roll or fold into triangles. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a grating of chocolate, or a fruit, custard, or chocolate sauce , if desired.
• Enjoy.

HUNGARIAN POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Shred the raw potatoes into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until thick and lemon coloured. Blend the potatoes, flour salt and oil into the eggs and mix until combined. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan then drop batter by spoonfuls onto the hot pan, flattening the batter (batter will be thick) to even out the pancake. Cook, turning once until golden brown.
• Note: If you spray the shredder with non-sticking cooking spray prior to shredding the potatoes, they will not stick.
• Delicious served with creamed spinach.

GRANDMA IRENA'S PALACSINTA (HUNGARIAN CREPES)

Steps:

• Combine the flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Add the milk, soda water, vegetable oil, and salt and mix to combine; refrigerate the batter overnight.
• To make the pancakes, heat a lightly greased frying pan over medium heat. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and mix well. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan and cook the pancake for about one minute. Flip it over and cook for another minute, or until golden brown. Remove the pancake from the pan and place it on waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the pancakes while keeping them separate with waxed paper.
• To make the filling, combine the chopped almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and rum (if desired) in a saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is creamy. Allow it to cool slightly before filling the pancakes.
• For the chocolate topping, combine the water, 1/2 cup sugar, and chocolate in a saucepan and cook over low heat just until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and add the margarine, stirring until melted and combined.
• Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of almond filling onto each pancake, rolling them up and placing them on a platter. (You will have 10 to 15 total, depending on their size.) Pour the chocolate topping over the platter of rolled pancakes. If desired, warm the platter in a microwave for about 30 seconds before serving.

HUNGARIAN PANCAKES (PALACSINTA)

Steps:

• Beat eggs well.
• Add milk, salt, sugar, and vanilla, Gradually add sifted flour beating until smooth a a thin batter.
• Heat small frying pan (or crepe pan).
• Spray lightly with Pam.
• Pour in enough batter to cover pan with very thin layer.
• Tilt pan with circular motion with wrist so mixture spreads eveny.
• Pancakes cook very quicly, about 30 secs on each side.
• Spread cheese filling, or grape jelly, or lekvar, or any jelly you like on the pancake and roll.
• You can also eat plain with a little powdered sugar sifted on top.
• Cheese filling: mix all ingredients well, adding sugar to taste.