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Krumplis tészta

Krumplis tészta: Hungarian square egg pasta tossed with paprika-fried onion and crushed potatoes

Pasta with potato sounds like a joke to outsiders, but on the farms of the Great Plain krumplis tészta was a thrifty, filling supper for harvest days, and Hungarian children still ask for it by name. Little squares of egg pasta are tossed with soft, crushed potatoes that have been fried in onion and sweet paprika until golden in spots, so every forkful is starchy, soft and smoky-sweet. Traditionally it is cooked in lard; this version uses sunflower oil and is vegetarian. Eat it with a sharp cucumber salad or pickles to cut the richness, and a spoon of sour cream if you like. A common mistake is adding the paprika to a very hot pan, where it scorches in seconds and turns bitter; always pull the pan off the heat first. Chef's tip: let the potatoes catch slightly on the bottom of the pan before you add the pasta, for crunchy, toasty bits.
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Method

0/7 done
  1. Step 1: Boil 1 ⅓ lb floury potatoes in water with half the 1 tsp salt for 12–15 minutes, until soft. Drain well.

    15 min
  2. Step 2: Cook 14 oz dried square egg pasta (kockatészta) in a large pan of boiling water with the rest of the 1 tsp salt according to the packet, usually 8–10 minutes, until tender. Drain.

    10 min
  3. Step 3: Meanwhile, heat 5 tbsp sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry 2 onions for 8–10 minutes, until soft and deep golden.

    10 min
  4. Step 4: Take the pan off the heat and stir in 2 tsp sweet paprika and ¼ tsp ground caraway; the oil should turn a deep red.

    1 min
  5. Step 5: Add the potatoes and crush them roughly with a fork. Return to a medium heat and fry for 5 minutes without stirring too often, until patches turn crisp and golden.

    5 min
  6. Step 6: Tip in the pasta, season with ½ tsp black pepper and toss over the heat for 2 minutes until everything is coated and hot. Taste for salt.

    2 min
  7. Step 7: Serve with 5 ½ oz sour cream and 10 ½ oz cucumber salad or pickles.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
600 kcal
Protein
15 g
Carbs
98 g
Fat
17 g
Fibre
7 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does krumplis tészta take?
About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of floury potatoes?
Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
What can I use instead of onions?
2 shallots per onion.

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