Hortobágyi palacsinta are Hungarian savoury meat-filled pancakes served with a rich paprika sour cream sauce, my version uses minced beef.
This recipe will cook in around 1 hour, however, both the meat filling and the pancakes can be made in advance. You can fill the pancakes, make the sauce and reheat the pancakes in 10-15 minutes before serving.
Hungarian Savoury Meat-Filled Pancakes
Outside of Hungary, Hungarian dishes are often thought of as being defined by goulash (gulyásleves) and paprikash (csirkepaprikás). However, there is a rich and beautiful culture of dishes that are scarcely known outside of Hungary.
Homely casseroles like rakott krumpli and delicious dishes like Brassói aprópecsenye deserve a lot more love.
Of course, I may be biased, I spent 13 years living in the Hungarian countryside and have a deep love for the grub that surrounded us during that time.
Hortobágyi palacsinta is a glorious dish that's essentially meat-filled savoury pancakes. It is named after a National park that we lived on the edge of in the East of the country.
Although curiously it wasn't developed there, it was created for the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels... the name is nothing more than 1950s marketing.
My version stuffs the pancakes with minced beef (darált hús), peppers, onions and paprika, and it is all served with a simple paprika and sour cream sauce made from the beef cooking juices.
Traditionally, the pancakes were filled with veal stew, and in the Hortobágy today it's commonly filled with beef stew made from the local grey steer (szürke marha).
But leftover stew is not in my vocabulary, and minced meat stuffed pancakes are a common modern-day interpretation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in advance?
Yes and no! Two of the elements of this recipe are ideal for making in advance; both the meat filling and the pancakes can be made a day or two in advance.
The final filling of the pancakes and the making of the sauce should be done just before serving. But this should take no longer than 15 minutes.
Can I use a different meat?
Yes, as I mentioned in my introduction above, this recipe is traditionally made with "leftover" stew. Something like the shredded meat from my marha pörkölt recipe with the sauce made from the juices would be much closer to traditional.
But I've been served this made with minced turkey, minced lamb and even shredded chicken leg meat.
Can I use low-fat sour cream?
You can, but you must be very careful when you reheat the dish; low-fat dairy is inherently less stable than full-fat versions. This means that it is prone to splitting if it is subject to too much heat.
You can stabilise it with a little flour stirred through the cream, but it can become a little thick and "gummy".
Do I have to use lard/dripping?
No, oil will work just as well in this recipe, although you will lose a little flavour.
Can I use smoked paprika?
You can, however, smoked paprika is not a thing in Hungary, if you want it to taste Hungarian, use Hungarian sweet paprika.
A word of caution!
My recipe for the pancakes will make 4 pancakes, but we all know that the first 1-2 pancakes are a bit rubbish. As a result, I would double the amount of pancake batter to counter this.
The calories for this recipe assume you are consuming just 4 pancakes.
Serving Suggestions
The first thing that "must" be served with Hortobágyi palacsinta is pickles, Hungarians love them and they cut through the rich sauce beautifully.
After that, you can go to town, an obvious choice would be some nokedli (Hungarian dumplings), but that means everything is all a little bit "soft".
I like to serve this recipe with crispy potatoes. I usually cook some air fryer French fries or air fryer chips. They offer a perfect textural contrast, and they are perfect for mopping up that lovely paprika sauce.
Although some crispy salty straw potatoes would be absolutely divine.
Herby boiled potatoes (főtt burgonyá) are also a popular choice as a side for this dish.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan (with a lid).
- 22m or 9" pancake pan.
- 25cm or 10" frying pan.
- Mixing bowls.
- Whisk.
- Spatula or fish slice.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Hortobágyi Palacsinta Recipe Hungarian Meat Stuffed Pancakes
Ingredients
For the Pancake Batter:
- 1 Egg
- 50 g Flour 5 Level Tablespoons
- 1 Pinch of White Pepper
- 125 ml Milk ½ Cup
- 1 Pinch of Salt
- Oil for Frying
For The Pancake Filling:
- 250 g Minced Beef 9oz
- 1 Small Onion 75g
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 Small Green Pepper
- 1 Small Tomato 100g
- 15 g Lard 1 tablespoon
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Sweet Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Spicy Paprika Optional
- ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 125 ml Water ½ Cup
- 125 ml Sour Cream ½ Cup
Instructions
- Crack the egg for the pancakes into a jug, add the salt, white pepper and flour, then mix with a fork until completely combined. Pour the milk gradually (this avoids lumps) mixing with a fork as you go. Try and set it aside for 30 minutes, but it is not massively important.
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then cut it into a 3-5mm (⅛-¼") dice.
- Remove the seeds from the green pepper and cut it into a dice, the same size as the onion.
- Cut the tomato into a 1cm (just under ½") dice.
- Mash the garlic into a paste.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the lard, when it has melted add the onion and cook for 2-4 minutes. You want to get a little colour on the edges of the onion to release a little sweetness.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
- Throw in the minced beef, salt and pepper, then brown well (this will take 3-5 minutes).
- Add the green pepper and tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the paprika and the spicy paprika if you are using it.
- Pour in the water, stir and return the pan to a low-medium heat, add a lid and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes whilst you cook the pancakes.
- Heat a 22cm or 9" crepe pan or frying pan over a high heat, add a drizzle of oil and enough of the pancake batter to form a thin pancake across the base of the pan. Cook for 45-60 seconds, flip and cook for a final 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining batter, you only need four pancakes for this recipe. This process can be done in advance.
- Strain the liquid from the meat mix into a 25cm or 10" frying pan, add the sour cream, stir to combine (taste and add salt if required), then place the pan on a low heat allowing it to simmer very gently whilst you stuff the pancakes.
- Stuff the 4 pancakes with the beef mix and fold them to form a nice tight parcel.
- Add the pancakes to the sauce, spoon over a little of the sauce, add a lid and allow them to heat through for 2-3 minutes and serve.
