Hortobágyi Pancakes amazed me with their rich flavor and unique presentation. I discovered these brunch pancakes during my Budapest trip. Hungarian cuisine impressed me as vibrant and flavorful.
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Hortobágyi Pancake recipe
Hortobágyi pancakes are a traditional Hungarian dish. Unlike the traditional British pancakes, they are savory pancakes with minced meat. The pancakes are slightly thicker than the crepes and are folded rather than rolled. The dish is typically served with a rich sauce like sour cream and stew juices.
I created a vegetarian recipe for Hortobágyi pancakes. These pancakes are an alternative to the traditional meat-filled dish. It is finished with a sour cream and paprika sauce. This balances the hearty stew filling.
These pancakes can be served with pickled vegetables, a refreshing salad, or vegetables. They go well with drinks like margarita, St. Andrea’s Egri Bikavér, pineapple juice, cucumber mint cooler, sparkling water, herbal tea, and tomato juice. These beverages balance the savory flavors or add refreshing contrasts.
Here is how to make vegetarian Hortobágyi pancakes or Hortobágyi Palacsinta:
Vegetarian Hortobagyi Pancakes
Nutrition
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 120 g plain flour I used a gluten-free blend
- 1 egg
- 1 york
- 200 ml milk
- 75 ml sparkling water
For the filling
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 cup mushrooms
- 1 courgette
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp vegetable bouillon
- black pepper to taste
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp stock from stew
- 2 tsp paprika
- Fresh parsley to garnish.
Instructions
- First, make the pancake batter by sifting the flour into a large bowl, along with a pinch of salt. Make a well and add the eggs, then the milk. Whisk ingredients together, and use a spatula to incorporate all the flour from the sides, until you have a runny batter.
- Put in fridge to rest for 30 mins.
- Meanwhile, make the stew. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large saucepan. Dice the onion and crush the garlic, then saute in the oil. Chop the rest of the vegetables and add to the pan.
- Dissolve the bouillon in 300ml of just-boiled water. Cover the vegetables with the stock and stir in the spices. When it comes to a boil, turn down the heat, cover, and leave to simmer for about 30 mins, until most of the stock has been absorbed.
- When the stew is nearly done, make the pancakes. Put the oven on a low heat and stick a large plate in to warm – you can put the pancakes in as you make them to stop them from going cold. Take the pancake batter from the fridge. Add the sparkling water to the batter and give it another good whisk.
- Melt a small amount of butter in the frying pan. Once the pan is hot, set the heat to medium and ladle some of the batter into the pan. Tip the pan around to quickly coat the bottom with the batter. After a couple of minutes, the pancake should loosen.
- Check to see if it is golden underneath; if so, flip it over (I used a pan slice, but if you're brave, you can toss them!) and cook for a few seconds on the other side. Lubricate the pan with a little more butter and repeat.
- Put all the pancakes in the oven to keep warm. Make the sauce by mixing the sour cream, the remaining stock from the stew and the paprika together in a pan over a low heat. It should only take a minute or two for the cream to warm through.
- To assemble, spoon some of the stew onto each pancake, then carefully roll up. Spoon some of the cream over the top, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
Notes
Similar Recipes:
Hortobágyi Palacsinta variations
Here are some popular variations of these pancakes:
- Meat Fillings:
- Pork provides a rich flavor.
- Veal offers a tender texture. It is prepared with paprika.
- Chicken is used in paprikash. This filling is enriched with extra sauce.
- Vegan fillings replace meat with mushrooms.
- Sauce Variations:
- Sour cream sauce enhances pancake richness.
- Paprika sauce uses a thicker paprika base.
- Cheesy sauce adds cheese to toppings or sauce.
- Cooking Techniques:
- Pan-frying is a traditional method.
- Baking creates crispy tops.
- The sous vide method makes meat tender.