William Penn Life, 2010 (45. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2010-08-01 / 8. szám
The Hungarian Kitchen with Főszakős Béla FÁRADJON BE A MAGYAR KONYHÁBA! The Tom's Run course in Blairsville, Pa., attracted many golfers and the weather was a perfect backdrop for the WPA tournament. All had a great time. A good course, just like a good restaurant, attracts the best. Next year we are back at Quicksilver in Midway, Pa. Good friends planted a garden next to the house in early spring, which provides us with veggies from the middle of July until the end of the season. The green cabbage count was 83 heads. This fall we will be eating plenty of stuffed cabbage! An abundance of green, yellow and pole beans round out the harvest. Yet to come, are the summer squash, zucchini, parsnips and beets. My job has been weeding and watering all summer long. In New Hampshire, we are enjoying a very casual summer of hot days in the 80's and cool nights below 65. Only one complaint—the summer is going by too fast. While school and teaching are fun, I could use a few more weeks of rest and relaxation. Monthly Trivia: How many flatbreads does one bushel of wheat produce? Fresh from the oven, the answer awaits. Baked for over 6,000 years, providing sustenance for many cultures, bread is a staple of our diets. It is a simple product of flour, water, yeast and salt. The earliest breads were baked using the coals of a fire, providing a constant heat source. After the discovery of yeast and the fermentation process, ancient bakers created new breads having more body. Flatbreads were the first produced and remain popular today. Pita, lavash, naan, matzo, tortillas and pizza are the most popular flatbreads consumed. The Romans called it panis focacius, and we know it as focaccia, or flatbread pizza, baked in the ashes or hot coals of the fireplace. The Turks call it pita, and we Hungarians know it as lángos. When the Turks invaded Hungary, they brought many influences to Magyar cuisine. Another Turkish influence, bogaca, became pógacsa, a type of sweet biscuit. A future column of The HK will provide more about biscuits and scones. Lángos used to be baked next to the open flame of a wood-fired oven. Now, it is deep-fried, which makes it different from the other flatbreads. Open flames produce intense heat, baking dough in a matter of minutes and producing a dry finished product. Deep-frying seals the dough, creating a crispy outside and soft center. Adding potatoes—a Magyar trend to the flatbread recipe-makes a tastier dough known as krumplisldngos. This flatbread is a very popular fast food in many European countries sold by street vendors at festivals and fairs. It is also available in fast food restaurants and is regarded as both a meal and snack food. Here are some tips to produce the best lángos. • Use smaller new potatoes, steamed then mashed with butter, salt and white pepper. • Add a savory flavor to the flour, such as granulated garlic, onion powder, barbecue spice or a soup base. • Use sweet flavorings-such as cocoa powder, almond paste, fruit juice, cordials or liqueurs-for the liquid portion of the recipe. • Do not over mix the dough. • Add chopped fruit, nuts, meats, or veggies toward the end of the kneading process. • Use canola oil or lard when frying for best results. • Let the lángos drain on paper towels before serving. Enjoy the recipes and be creative with your flavors and toppings. Take advantage of the seasonal fresh veggies and fruits from your garden or local farmers market. Trivia answer: 360 four-ounce, whole wheat flatbreads are produced using a 90-pound bushel of wheat. Have a great month! Jó ótv-á.tf'tfO.t Jösza^óőS The Hungarian Kitchen is a trademark of William S. Vasvary. Photo by (c) Vaeenma/Dreamstime.com Visit Chef Béla online at www.hungariankitchen.com 10 0 August 2010 0 William Penn Life
