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Hortobagyi Palacsinta (Savoury Meat-Filled Pancakes)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Ingredients

  • For crepes: 200 g (1 3/4 cups) flour, 400 ml (1 3/4 cups) milk, 2 eggs, pinch salt
  • 500 g (1 lb) minced pork or veal
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp lard
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 200 ml (3/4 cup) stock
  • 200 ml (3/4 cup) sour cream
  • 1 tbsp flour (for sauce)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Make the crepe batter and cook thin crepes as in Turos Palacsinta; set aside.
  2. Soften onion in lard, remove from heat, stir in paprika.
  3. Add minced meat, brown, then add stock and simmer covered 25 minutes until tender.
  4. Blend the meat mixture briefly to a coarse spreadable filling; season.
  5. Fill each crepe with the meat mixture and roll up.
  6. Whisk sour cream with flour and a little of the braising liquid, warm gently to make a sauce.
  7. Plate the filled crepes and nap with the paprika cream sauce.

Introduction: Named for the Hortobagy plain, this 20th-century restaurant classic wraps paprika-braised minced meat inside a thin savoury crepe, finished with a paprika cream sauce made from the braising liquid, and is a signature Hungarian starter.

Cultural Background: Named for the Hortobagy plain, this 20th-century restaurant classic wraps paprika-braised minced meat inside a thin savoury crepe, finished with a paprika cream sauce made from the braising liquid, and is a signature Hungarian starter.

Tips: Pulse the filling only briefly; it should remain slightly textured, not a smooth paste.

Variations: Some versions use chicken liver blended into the filling for extra depth.

Storage: Refrigerate filled, unsauced crepes up to 2 days.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a covered pan or low oven, adding sauce just before serving.

Nutrition: Approx. 390 kcal, 22 g protein, 24 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate per serving.

FAQs:

Q: Can this be made with chicken?

A: Yes, minced or shredded chicken thigh works well as a lighter alternative.

Q: Is this the same as sweet palacsinta?

A: No, this is a savoury restaurant-style starter, distinct from the sweet curd-filled breakfast crepes.

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