Hortobágyi Palacsinta Hungarian Savory (Printable)
Hungarian crepes with paprika meat filling baked in creamy sour cream sauce
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Crepes
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1½ cups whole milk
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
05 - ¼ tsp salt
06 - Butter or oil for frying
→ For the Meat Filling
07 - 1 lb ground veal or pork (or a mix)
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tbsp sunflower oil or vegetable oil
11 - 1½ tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
12 - 1 tsp tomato paste
13 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken or beef broth
14 - ½ tsp salt
15 - ¼ tsp black pepper
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
→ For the Sauce
17 - ¾ cup sour cream
18 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
19 - ½ cup strained pan juices from the filling or broth
# Method:
01 - Whisk together flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, and salt until smooth and lump-free. Let batter rest for 10 minutes to allow gluten to relax.
02 - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with butter or oil. Pour a small ladleful of batter, swirling to coat the pan thinly. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the edge lifts, then flip and cook 30 seconds on the other side. Repeat until you have 8 crepes, stacking with parchment in between. Set aside.
03 - Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in ground meat and cook, breaking up lumps with a spoon, until browned completely. Sprinkle with paprika and mix well to coat the meat evenly.
05 - Add tomato paste, salt, pepper, and broth. Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until most liquid evaporates and mixture thickens. Stir in parsley.
06 - Strain the filling through a sieve, reserving the pan juices for the sauce. Let filling cool slightly before assembling.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
08 - Place a crepe on a work surface, add 2–3 tablespoons of filling along the lower third, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining crepes and filling.
09 - Arrange filled crepes seam-side down in a lightly greased baking dish.
10 - Whisk flour into sour cream until smooth. Stir in reserved pan juices or broth until well combined.
11 - Pour sauce evenly over all the crepes in the baking dish.
12 - Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until heated through and sauce is bubbling around the edges.
13 - Garnish with extra parsley if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- These crepes transform simple ground meat into something elegant enough for guests but homey enough for Tuesday dinner
- The make-ahead magic means you can assemble everything in the morning and bake when everyone walks through the door
02 -
- Letting the batter rest prevents those frustrating tiny lumps that ruin an otherwise perfect crepe
- Straining the filling might seem fussy but it prevents soggy crepe bottoms from excess moisture
03 -
- A crepe pan is nice but any nonstick skillet with sloping sides works perfectly well
- If your sauce seems too thick, add another splash of broth until it pours easily