Popular Croatian Dishes that made home in the Hungarian kitchen
Ajngemahtec – Croatian Chicken Soup with Wheat Grits Dumplings
„Q” Where does the name „Ajngemahtec origin?
„A” The name comes from the German word eingemacht, which could be roughly translated as all in one, due to the fact this simple one-pot dish
„Q” Where did Ajngemahtec – Croatian chicken soup come from??
„A” The cuisine was strongly influenced by Croatia from the Austrian neighbors
Indeed it is nourishing soup with different veggies, containing chicken, heart dumplings and delicious with hearty dumplings. The soup usually served before Sunday lunch not only in Croatia, but Hungary as well as the home remedy to cure everything from flu to hangovers. In Croatia and Hungary it is common in adding to the chicken soup the VEGETA seasoning fulfills an extra flavor of veggies (but be careful with the salting later) Once you tried the mouthwatering soup you will love it. It is pretty simple to prepare it. Nice and comforting chicken soup, traditional (Sunday meal) both in Croatia and also delicious on the table in Hungary
Cooking time: 1h – Servings 4 – Ingredients: 4-6 pieces of chicken thighs bone in, 1 medium onion, 2 large carrots – 1 shredded and 1 finely sliced, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 small parley root (finely sliced), 1 chicken bullion cube, 6 cups of hot water, 2 tsp oil, 2 tsp chopped parsley leaves, 1 tsp VEGETA seasoning optional or any available veggie flavoring, salt and pepper
Dumplings: 2 medium eggs, 2 tsp oil vegetable or sunflower, about 2/3 cup semolina add more, for firmer dumplings.
Cooking instructions: In a large pot heat oil under medium heat, add chopped onion and cook about 2 minutes. Add shredded and sliced carrots and sliced parsley root, season with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add chicken thighs, 1 -2 cups of water, bullion cube and cook on low heat for 25 mins, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary. After 25 mins add frozen peas, pour remaining water and cook for 10-15 mins. Remove chicken from the soup and shred the meat of the bone. Put aside.
In a mean time in separate bowl beat eggs with 2 tsp of oil, slowly add semolina, stirring constantly until you get thick batter, making sure that no lumps remain. Warm tablespoon under hot water and with a tablespoon drop full spoons of batter into the soup and cook for additional 10 mins. Add the chicken back to the pot, add chopped parsley leaves, season with salt, pepper and 1 tsp VEGETA and cook for 1-2 mins. Serve warm.
Ćevapi sausages
(In Hungary named: Csevap or Csevapcsicsa)
„Q” What are Ćevapi sausages?
„A” Bascially the Ćevapi are grilled, skinless finger-shaped sausages.
„Q” Where does the Ćevapi origin?
„A” The Ćevapi itself has a Turkish origin. Turkish influence in the similarity to the Turkish kofta kebab, which is a mixed-meat sausage that is molded onto skewers for easy grilling.
The recipe itself will not be complicated at all, in fact, it is extremely simple easy to make, the only possibility of mistakes is found only in the quality of the ingredients. That’s why it’s important to pick meats minced beef or pork, and spices. Ćevapi together with chopped onions, kajkmak, sour cream, minced red pepper, ajvar, and salt are incredibly tasty. For best flavor, let the sausages marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to an overnight.
Ćevapi has an incredibly unique taste and beside among Croatians at the Hungarian kitchen indeed appreciated. Delicious smoky flavor and are perfect for serving with flatbread and sliced onions.
Preperation time 20 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins.
Ingredients: 0.55 lb minced beef, 0.55 lb minced pork, 3 garlic cloves minced,1 ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper,1 tsp paprika, ¾ tsp baking soda.
Cooking instructions: Take a large bowl mix together all ingredients.Using slightly over 1 tsp of meat mixture per sausage, shape the mixture into sausages the size and shape of a fat finger (roughly 3 inches long and ¾ of an inch in diameter).Place all the formed sausages in a single layer on a platter. Cover the platter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight). When you are ready to cook your sausages, preheat your grill to medium heat, 180⁰C -200⁰C (350-400⁰F) (You should be able to hold your hand a few inches from the cooking grate for 5-7 seconds.). To grill the sausages using a fine grate grill pan for 4-5 mins a side, until golden and springy. Serve the Ćevapi with sliced sweet onions and flatbread (like lepinja or pita). Mind you on the otherside of the Moon, @ Woolworths, Beef Chevaps are prepared ready just to roast Downunder.
Štrukli from Croatia to Hungary
„Q” Where origin of Štrukli?
„A” The exact origin of štrukli remains unknown, but traced a staple for … pastry and a salty stuffing made from cow cottage cheese, cream and eggs long ago on the hills and forests, northern Croatia … some say the original dish also called Zagorje strukli, originates from the Zagorje region of Croatia)
„Q” What is the Štrukli?
„A” It is a rather simple „pulled pasta” dish, which, depending on the type of filling, can be either savory or sweet.
There are 2 types of Štrukli: boiled and baked. Ingredient is most important need the fresh cottage cheese … it has a fresh, slightly acidic taste and a refined taste of milk that is only really began to ferment.
Dough ingredients: 0.90 lb, 1 egg, 1 tsp oil, salt.
Serve: 8 – Ingredients for the filling: 20 oz (600 g) fresh cottage cheese, 3.3 oz (100 g) butter, softened + 2 tsp,4 eggs, 0.4 cups (100 ml) sour cream
Preparation time: 30 mins – Meanwhile preheat then oven if baked to 180⁰C (365⁰F).
Mix a firm dough of flour, 1 egg, oil and a little salt water. Stir until bubbles appear, then shape the dough into 2 loave ball and roll it using the tablecloth , stretch the dough out a bit and coat it with oil so that it doesn’t dry out and cover with a warm towel. Leave the dough to rest for 1h. The dough is then stretched out, as usual, on a sheet smeared with oil or on a cloth sprinkled with flour. Mix the ingredients of the filling well, then place small piles on the dough with a spoon in a row, not too far apart. The dough is rolled up, the dough is squeezed between the piles with a wooden spoon and then separated using a plate. This is how to get the separate pieces filled with cottage cheese, which is cooked in flag salt water. Don’t have to cook for long when it comes to the top of the water, good. Place the cooked Štruklies next to each other in a fireproof bowl or baking tray, pour over the cream to cover them.
Stuffing mixture: mix the cow cheese with 4 eggs, melted butter and a little salt and mix until smooth.
Cooking time: 50 mins. Knead a medium-soft strudel dough from the dough.Divide into 2 loaves, smear with oil, rest for 1h in a warm place. The dough is then stretched out, as usual, on a sheet smeared with oil or on a cloth sprinkled with flour. Mix the ingredients of the filling well, then place small piles on the dough with a spoon in a row, not too far apart. The dough is rolled up, the dough is squeezed between the piles with a wooden spoon and then separated using a plate. This is how we get the separate pieces filled with cottage cheese, which we cook in flag salt water. You don’t have to cook for long when it comes to the top of the water, good. Bake in the oven for about 50 mins at 180⁰C (365⁰F) until golden brown.
Excellent both either hot or cold. You can also put a little filling on the cooked Štrukli.
© Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 