William Penn Life, 2016 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2016-04-01 / 4. szám

Treasured Recipes with Chef Vilmos

Palacsinta, please!

RIDDLE ME THIS: what food can be eaten anytime of day, either for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or even as a snack?

For me, the first answer that immediately comes to mind is palacsinta (pronounced pah-lah-CHEEN-tah), the Hungarian version of a thin pancake that our French friends call a crepe. That may surprise many of you, as the only version of palacsinta most folks have tried is filled with sweet jams or cheese and topped with powdered sugar.

But, in reality, palacsinta is among the most versatile dishes you can create. Don't take just my word; google "palacsinta" or "crepe" and try counting all the recipes you'll find. What you'll discover (in case you already didn't know) is that you can fill them with just about anything, you can make them sweet or savory, and you can serve them as an entrée, as a dessert or as an in-betweenmeal or after-meal treat.

Making palacsinta is pretty easy...once you get the hang

of it. Don't be discouraged if your first few tries don't match the photo below. As with any skill, making palacsinta gets easier the more you do it.

Having the proper equipment helps, but you don't need a crepe pan, wooden batter spreader and crepe spatula to create perfect palacsinta. All you need is a 9- or 10-inch skillet, a long spatula and practice. You can also log onto YouTube and type in "palacsinta" to find a number of how-to videos to inspire you (and ease your trepidation).

To get you started, I'm sharing with you some basic recipes from WPA's cookbook, A Taste of Hungarian Heaven. You can get your own copy by sending a donation of $20 per book to: Cookbook, c/o William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. All proceeds from the sale of our cookbook go to the William Penn Fraternal Association Scholarship Foundation, which provides financial assistance to young WPA members seeking higher education.

Palacsinta (Hungarian Pancakes)

IZi cups milk 3 eggs Pinch of salt I tablespoon sugar I Zi cups flour

Beat eggs well. Add milk, salt and sugar. Gradually add this to sifted flour; beat until smooth, to a thin batter. Heat a 9- to 10-inch crepe pan or skillet and coat the pan with a small amount of oil or shortening. Pour in just enough batter to cover the pan with a very thin layer. Use a wooden crepe spreader to distribute batter evenly or tilt the pan so the batter spreads evenly. Heat about 30 to 40 seconds on one side until brown, then carefully flip onto other side and let cook about another 20 to 30 seconds. Be careful not to overcook as it can make the palacsinta rubbery. Set aside to cool. Take one cooled pancake and spread on your favorite jam, lekvár or pot cheese filling (see recipe). Roll up pancake and set in serving dish. You can sprinkle the top with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes about 15 palacsinta.

There are many variations to this basic recipe, a couple of which you can find in A Taste of Hungarian Heaven. You can find even more on the Internet. Try several until you find the one you like best.

Pot Cheese Filling

I pound pot cheese I egg, well beaten 'A - 'A cup sugar

A few drops of vanilla or lemon rind

Mix all ingredients well, adding sugar to taste. Spread on cooled palacsinta. Warm palacsinta in 350°F oven for 10 minutes, then serve to your guests.

Hortobágyi Palacsinta

1 pound diced chicken breast

or lean veal

2 medium onions, minced I teaspoon kosher salt

'A cup all-purpose flour

I tablespoon Hungarian paprika I tablespoon lard I Zi cups sour cream 12 palacsinta

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

In a skillet, sauté the chicken (or veal) and onions in lard. Cover the skillet and cook an additional five minutes. Stir in the juice from the pan and set aside.

Add two tablespoons of sour cream to meat mixture and simmer about 10 minutes. Divide the meat mixture into 12 portions and spoon on the palacsinta. Roll each palacsinta until about two inches from edge, fold in the end flaps, then finish rolling. Arrange palacsinta in a serving dish side by side, not on top of each other. Warm the palacsinta in an oven set preheated to 300°F for seven minutes. Mix the remaining sour cream with the juices from the pan, adding the flour and paprika; bring to a boil, then ladle onto palacsinta. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Palacsinta Baked with Sour Cream

This dish is exactly what its name says. Place rolled and filled palacsinta one layer deep in a buttered, shallow baking dish. Spoon two cups of sour cream evenly over the palacsinta. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

8 0 April 2016 0 William Penn Life