Easy Hungarian Hortobágyi Palacsinta | easy hungarian hortobagyi palacsinta recipe
A beginner-friendly Hungarian-inspired dinner of tender savory crepes filled with paprika-seasoned ground beef and baked under a creamy sour cream sauce.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- For the savory crepes: 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
- For the savory crepes: 2 large eggs 100 g, without shells
- For the savory crepes: 1 cup whole milk 240 ml
- For the savory crepes: 1/2 cup water 120 ml
- For the savory crepes: 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1.5 g
- For the savory crepes: 1 tablespoon neutral oil plus more as needed for the pan (15 ml)
- For the ground meat filling: 1 tablespoon neutral oil 15 ml
- For the ground meat filling: 1 pound lean ground beef such as 85% lean (454 g)
- For the ground meat filling: 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped (about 1 cup/150 g)
- For the ground meat filling: 2 garlic cloves minced (about 2 teaspoons/6 g)
- For the ground meat filling: 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika 7 g
- For the ground meat filling: 1 tablespoon tomato paste 16 g
- For the ground meat filling: 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth 120 ml
- For the ground meat filling: 1/2 teaspoon fine salt plus more to taste (3 g)
- For the ground meat filling: 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 0.5 g
- For the sour cream sauce: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 28 g
- For the sour cream sauce: 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 16 g
- For the sour cream sauce: 1 cup low-sodium beef broth 240 ml
- For the sour cream sauce: 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika 2 g
- For the sour cream sauce: 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream at room temperature (180 g)
- For serving optional: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (4 g)
Instructions
- Make the crepe batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Add the eggs, milk, water, and 1 tablespoon oil. Whisk until smooth, then let the batter rest while you make the filling.
- Make the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir the garlic, sweet paprika, tomato paste, broth, salt, and pepper into the beef. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and the filling is moist but not wet, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Cook the crepes: Lightly oil a nonstick 8- or 10-inch skillet and heat it over medium heat. Pour in about 1/4 cup (60 ml) batter, immediately swirling the skillet to make a thin round. Cook until the top looks dry and the bottom is lightly golden, about 1 minute. Flip and cook for about 20 seconds. Transfer to a plate and repeat to make 8 crepes, lightly oiling the pan as needed.
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth and paprika. Simmer, whisking, until lightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk a few spoonfuls of the warm sauce into the sour cream, then stir the warmed sour cream mixture back into the saucepan. Do not boil the sauce after adding sour cream.
- Fill the crepes: Spoon about 1/3 cup of beef filling down the center of each crepe. Fold the sides over the filling, then roll each crepe into a neat parcel. Place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Spoon the sour cream sauce over the filled crepes. Bake until hot and lightly bubbling around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve warm.