🇭🇺 Hortobágyi Palacsinta — Hungarian Savory Crepes

Hortobágyi palacsinta is a classic Hungarian dish: delicate crepes filled with paprika-seasoned meat, then baked and served with a rich sour-cream paprika sauce.

Ingredients — 4 servings

For the crepes

• 2 eggs
• 250 ml milk
• 150 g flour
• 150 ml water
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the filling

• 400 g ground or finely chopped chicken or veal
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 small bell pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp oil
• 150 ml chicken stock
• Salt and pepper

For the sauce

• 200 g sour cream
• 100 ml cooking cream
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1–2 tsp Hungarian paprika
• A little of the meat cooking sauce
• Salt

👩‍🍳 Method

1. Make the crepes: Whisk eggs, milk, water, flour, salt, and oil until smooth. Rest for 15–20 minutes. Cook thin crepes in a lightly oiled pan and set aside.
2. Prepare the filling: Sauté the onion in oil until soft. Remove from the heat briefly, stir in the paprika, then add tomato and pepper.
3. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Pour in the stock, cover, and simmer for 20–30 minutes until tender.
4. Strain the sauce: Separate the meat from the cooking liquid. Finely chop or shred the meat. Keep the flavorful liquid for the sauce.
5. Fill the crepes: Place a generous spoonful of meat in the center of each crepe. Fold the sides inward and roll into a neat parcel.
6. Make the creamy sauce: Mix sour cream, cream, flour, paprika, and some of the reserved meat sauce. Stir until smooth.
7. Place the filled crepes in a baking dish and pour the sauce over them.
8. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 15–20 minutes, until hot and bubbling.

🇭🇺 Serve

Spoon plenty of the paprika-sour-cream sauce over each palacsinta and serve hot.

Tip: The traditional flavor comes from Hungarian paprika, slow-cooked onions, and the meat juices incorporated into the creamy sauce.