It’s officially fall! Whether you’re already excited about decorating for the holidays, or you’re dreading the incoming “sweater weather”, there is one thing we can all agree on — Fall means colder weather, which means endless amounts of delicious comfort food straight from the Hungarian kitchen. Get ready to eat copious amounts of carb-heavy, meat-filled indulgence as we explore the recipes that Hungary has been known for all across the globe.
First, we start with my fiancé’s personal favorite, which I can guarantee he will be making as soon as the temperature drops below 70! It’s super easy to make and requires very little effort in the kitchen, but the reward is a hearty meal that truly warms the soul.
Kolbászos, paprikás tészta (Sausage and paprika pasta)
We simply could not kick off our autumn season without a dish featuring Kolbász. The hearty smoked sausage is stuffed with minced pork, bacon, paprika, and any other seasonings or meats the maker desires! The sausage is then smoked in the traditional way. In the past, every Hungarian family that could kept animals, including pigs, in their large gardens.
Once a year the whole family would get together to slaughter the pig and then enjoy cooking and preserving every part of the pig to make sure they had meat all year round. The salting and smoking of meat was a common European way to preserve larger quantities of meat, with some families even having a specific smoking house in their yards for this very purpose! Recently my family purchased a traditional Hungarian farmer’s house which came with its own smoking house! I hope one day we can restore it to use for its original purpose!
If you haven’t tried Kolbász then you are missing out on one of the tastiest delicacies to come out of Hungary. Traditionally each family would have their own specific recipe to make this spicy sausage but these days it is just as common for a family to purchase ready-made Kolbász from their local butcher. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Hungarian meal if we didn’t add the paprika that Hungary is so famous for! The bright red pepper tastes of the Hungarian summer sunshine and is best added to pretty much anything worth eating!
Ingredients
30 g Pasta (Tészta) we will be using the Large Square Egg Noodles
10 g Grated Cheese, Trappista is normally used, but a good cheddar would also taste just fine.
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Purple Onion
1 Paprika
1 Can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Gulyaskrem (Mild or Spicy is up to you)
1 Kolbász, we will be using the Smoked and Cooked Sausage
A pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Timing: 10 minutes preparation, 20 minutes cooking.
Method
We will begin by boiling the pasta in hot salted water following the instructions on the packaging. It is important here not to overcook the pasta as it will continue cooking when set aside and trust us when we say, this is not a dish for mushy pasta! Once finished cooking, drain and set aside for later.
Next, we will cut the Kolbász into rings about 5 cm thick, think of a chunky mouthful but not so big that you cannot include other ingredients in the mouthful! Once the sausage is cut you can fry it in olive oil. Keep the oil hot to form a slightly crispy skin on the sausage.
When you can see the fat from the sausage starting to melt a little, take it out of the pan and leave it on some kitchen paper to absorb any excess oils. Set the sausage aside for later.
Chop the purple onion into rings and fry in the leftover oil from the sausage. The meaty flavors from the sausage oil will combine very nicely with the onion taste. Fry the onion until it is caramelized.
Meanwhile, slice the paprika and press both garlic cloves. Then add the garlic and the paprika into the frying onion. Once they are all together in the pan, add salt, and pepper to your taste. Next, you add the tablespoon of Gulyaskrem and the can of chopped tomatoes.
Now we can add the Kolbász back into the pan. Simmer on medium heat for ten minutes and cover the pan.
After simmering, we can add the pasta back into the pan and stir thoroughly. Then we bring the entire dish off the heat and plate it.
Finally, add a generous helping of grated cheese. For added melty-ness place the full dish in an oven-safe pot and top with grated cheese. Then place in the oven for a short amount of time! Not a very Hungarian addition, but this twist is excellent for cheese lovers or lovers of pasta bake style dishes.
When my fiancé and his family make this dish they always serve soup before and a huge hunk of fresh bread usually covered in butter alongside this dish!
If I’m lucky, they might even bake a Beigli for the occasion. If you are interested in something sweet after a hearty meal, a Beigli makes a delicious option. On weekends you can order a walnut or poppyseed (walnut is my absolute favorite and is a must if you’ve never tried Beigli!) Flavored Beigli from Hungarian Meat Market to be delivered straight to your home!
This dish can of course be made without the Kolbász if sausage isn’t your thing but you can also add most smoked meats depending on your preference. If you would like to make this dish even meatier then I recommend adding a generous helping of Fustolt Tarja or Smoked Pork Butts.
I hope you have enjoyed cooking one of my favorite cold weather meals with me and I hope even more that you enjoy exploring the tasty treasures of Hungarian cuisine. Get ready for smoked meats, heaps of potatoes, and ten layered cakes!
Guest Writer: Emily Davies
“I am an English born woman but I moved to Hungary in May 2022 with my Hungarian husband and our son. I have recently discovered a passion for Hungarian food. Due to living with the Hungarian members of my family I have access to many traditional recipes yet living in Siófok I am also able to attend traditional food markets easily and bakeries, restaurants etc.”
