Hungarian Haluski Recipes

TRADITIONAL SLOVAK HALUSKI

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels. When bacon is cool, crumble and set aside.
• Place potatoes into a food processor and process until pureed, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, eggs, baking powder, and salt to make a sticky dough. Set dough aside.
• Fill a large pot about half full of lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Ladle large spoonfuls of the sticky dough to a small cutting board and use a knife to chop the dough into tablespoon-size pieces; as you cut off a piece, drop it into the boiling water. Let the dumplings boil over medium heat until they float, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon to a large serving bowl.
• Sprinkle bacon crumbles and a handful of shredded brick cheese over each batch of dumplings; continue to make, boil, and transfer dumplings to the bowl, sprinkling each batch with bacon and brick cheese. When all dumplings are made, gently stir the haluski to mix all ingredients.

HALUSHKI WITH PAP'S DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, eggs, milk and some salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix by hand until incorporated, making sure not to overmix. Place in the refrigerator, covered, and let rest for 1 hour.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cut penny-size dumplings into the water by hand and let boil for 5 minutes. Drain the dumplings and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the cabbage and paprika and cook until tender. Toss with the dumplings and smoked ham and serve.

EASY AND QUICK HALUSHKI

Steps:

• Snip bacon into small pieces with a scissors and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cook and stir onion with bacon until translucent, about 5 more minutes; set bacon and onion aside, leaving drippings in the skillet.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Transfer bacon and onion mixture with drippings into the pot used to cook the noodles and cook and stir cabbage until coated with drippings. Cover pot and cook until cabbage is tender, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in noodles and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

CABBAGE AND NOODLES - HUNGARIAN HALUSKI

Steps:

• Heat water in a large pot and cook the pasta according to directions. See recipe note #1 regarding different pasta choices. The pasta should cook while you prepare the other ingredients in next step. But watch the timing on the pasta if using gluten-free noodles as they'll be done before you're ready to add them into the cabbage mixture. NOTE: Save about one cup of your pasta water when you drain the noodles!
• In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and saute' until golden, about 5 minutes. If needed, add ½ tablespoon butter to help with browning. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
• Start with half of the cabbage and stir into the mushroom, onion mixture. Add one tablespoon of the butter and cook until the cabbage begins to brown. See recipe note #2 if wanting to add less oil. Add remaining cabbage and additional tablespoon butter. Add the granulated garlic and onion at this time and continue to cook, stirring until the cabbage has softened and browned around the edges.
• Once the noodles are al dente and drained (remember to save some of that pasta water), add the noodles a little at a time until you are happy with the ratio of noodles to cabbage. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, less if desired, taste and add more if needed. Add the peas and stir to combine. If you want the dish to be a little "creamy", add some of the pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time until desired wetness is achieved.
• At this point, the recipe is delicious and may be served right out of the skillet. The cabbage and noodles are tasty for sure but to infuse even more flavor, place the mixture into a buttered large casserole dish or roasting pan, add up to ½ cup of the pasta water, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300F degree oven for 10 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake 15 minutes more. Baking in the oven helps to tenderize the noodles and cabbage a little more and infuses the onion and garlic flavors into the noodles. I highly recommend the baking step.
• Just before serving, whether you serve from the skillet or after baking in the oven, drizzle extra olive oil over the dish and sprinkle with the parsley just before serving. See recipe note # 4 regarding leftovers.

OLD FASHIONED, AUTHENTIC, HUNKY HALUPKI

Steps:

• Method:.
• - Core and boil the cabbage heads.
• -- remove outer leaves as they become blanched -- do not over-cook.
• -- stack on cookie sheet as they come out of the water - they will continue to soften.
• -- cut thick vein from each leaf.
• - mix together your meat, drained rice, chopped onion, garlic powder, parsley, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and egg.
• -- to sweeten up the meat a bit, I add a good squirt of ketchup (there's only one brand - Heinz) and 1/2 can of tomato soup (you probably don't need this if you use pork - but at least try the ketchup).
• - fill your rolls and roll 'em up -- don't roll too tight - you will be able to tuck in the ends by pushing in with your little finger -- if they're rolled to tight, they'll explode in your hand -- or fold over the ends of the leaf when rolling sort of like a round burrito.
• -- it doesn't take long to do this -- have fun.
• Now for the artistry:.
• - Line the bottom of your roaster with bacon - roaster should be deep enough to add several layers and hold adequate liquid.
• - Top the bacon with a good layer of left-over cabbage leaves -- the ones too small to roll or ripped leaves.
• - layer with sauerkraut.
• - sprinkle a little caraway seeds.
• - layer with thickly sliced onion and chopped garlic.
• - add 6-10 bay leaves, depending on the amount.
• - layer the halupki - alternating direction of layers.
• -- incorporate 2 - 3 inch lengths of kielbasa throughout.
• - add remaining tomato soup if used.
• - add tomatoes and sauce.
• - salt and pepper.
• - add cabbage water to cover.
• Bake at 350 for one hour then reduce heat to 250 for three more hours.
• -- or reduce heat to 175-200 overnight - check to ensure enough liquid - don't dry them out.
• Serve with kick-ass mashed potatoes.
• - roast as much garlic as you would like in the potatoes.
• Cube potatoes and for best results add sea salt and refrigerate for a few hours.
• - rinse and drain potatoes, cover with water and lightly boil until soft.
• Mash together with butter, canned milk, cheddar/freshly grated Parmesan cheese, sea salt, white pepper, roasted garlic, jarred diced garlic, a little garlic powder, and grape seed oil.
• Now that's some good ol' Hunky eatin'!

HUNGARIAN CABBAGE WITH NOODLES (KáPOSZTáS TéSZTA)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large skillet or Dutch oven , sauté cabbage and onion in butter until golden brown and tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Mix with cooked egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and rewarm if necessary to serve piping hot.

HALUSKI (POLISH FRIED CABBAGE & NOODLES)

Steps:

• Fill a large pot half way full with water. Lightly salt it, and over high heat bring the water to a boil.
• Once boiling, pour in the egg noodles, stir, and cook according to the package directions. Transfer the noodles to a colander when done, and drain away all excess water.
• While the noodles are cooking, get started on the cabbage by adding 6 tablespoons of butter to a large Dutch oven set over medium heat.
• Once the butter's melted, stir in the cabbage and onion. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the cabbage has browned/caramelized and is tender. Salt, to taste.
• Melt the last two tablespoons of butter in the pot, and add the cooked pasta to the pot, stirring everything to coat. Cook just long enough for the noodles to heat through.
• If using, stir in the bacon and season the haluski with freshly grated black pepper, to taste.
• Serve immediately, and enjoy!

SLOVAK HALUSKY DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cook bacon cubes in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned. If using onion, add it to skillet and fry mixture until bacon is well cooked and onions are transparent, or about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, add chopped potatoes in a food processor and process until completely puréed.
• Add salt and flour into potato mixture a little at a time, processing after each addition. The batter is done when a spoon will stick straight up in the dough.
• Place a third of the thick batter onto a cutting board. Using a knife, scrape about 15 small bits of dough into boiling water.
• When they all float to the top, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large colander to drain. Repeat process with all remaining batter on board, and remaining two thirds in food processor.
• Once all dumplings are cooked, add into large skillet with bacon and combine well. Serve immediately and garnish with chives, if using.