Traditional recipe

Ingredients:

10 large potatoes, 500 ml curded milk*, 14-15 tbsp flour, 4tbsp lard, 5-6 tbsp soured cream, salt, chopped onion for serving

Method:

Wash and peel the potatoes. Working quickly, grate and drain the potatoes mixing in the curdled milk to keep them from discolouring. Stir in the flour and salt.

Divide evenly onto a well-greased baking tray. Mix the remaining lard and the soured cream together and drizzle on top. Bake until golden brown and serve in the traditional Zala county fashion with sautéed onions.

Source: “Vas and Zala county peasant food and preserving” by Gézáné Ábrahám.

* Kefir can be used as a substitute

An alternative cooking method can be used. Prepare the batter and fry in a well-oiled frying pan in the style of pancakes.

Variations can be made by adding finely chopped ham, mushrooms or herbs to the traditional batter.

Take one kilogram carefully chosen floury potatoes. Peel the potatoes, putting them into a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Cook gently until they begin to break up. Leaving them on the heat, mash them stirring in flour until the potatoes cannot absorb any more. You will know the dough is ready when it forms a ball coming away from the sides of the saucepan. As a guide, it should absorb approximately 2-2.5 cups of flour.

In a non-stick frying pan, melt 3 heaped tbsp lard. Lightly fry two medium onions, once brown, drop by even spoonfuls into the pan and fry until golden brown, turning gently.  Serve the dumplings on their own with a good quality soured cream or as a side dish but they are mainly added to Hungarian casseroles.

When choosing the potatoes, choose ones with a low water and high starch content. Avoid new potato varieties. Choosing the best ones will come with practise.

Source: “Göcseji Tales and Cuisine” József Miszori (Kandikó Guesthouse/Vendégház, Dobronhegy)