Ham Palacsinta Recipes

HUNGARIAN CREPES: PALACSINTA

Steps:

• Mix eggs, flour, milk, sugar and salt to make a smooth pancake dough. Let the dough rest for 1 to 2 hours.
• Stir in the carbonated water at the last moment, just before cooking the pancakes.
• Heat an 8-inch frying pan. When the pan is hot, add 1/4 teaspoon of the butter. Let butter melt and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan.
• Pour a ladle of the batter into the pan and gently tip and twist the pan so that the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan. When the top of the batter bubbles, turn the pancake over and cook for 4 or 5 seconds longer. Remove the pancake. Continue until the batter is all cooked; add butter before cooking each pancake.
• Serve by spreading raspberry jam, cocoa mix, or your favorite filling and roll up the pancake, serve with fresh berries.

GRANDMA IRENA'S PALACSINTA (HUNGARIAN CREPES)

Steps:

• Combine the flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Add the milk, soda water, vegetable oil, and salt and mix to combine; refrigerate the batter overnight.
• To make the pancakes, heat a lightly greased frying pan over medium heat. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and mix well. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan and cook the pancake for about one minute. Flip it over and cook for another minute, or until golden brown. Remove the pancake from the pan and place it on waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the pancakes while keeping them separate with waxed paper.
• To make the filling, combine the chopped almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and rum (if desired) in a saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is creamy. Allow it to cool slightly before filling the pancakes.
• For the chocolate topping, combine the water, 1/2 cup sugar, and chocolate in a saucepan and cook over low heat just until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and add the margarine, stirring until melted and combined.
• Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of almond filling onto each pancake, rolling them up and placing them on a platter. (You will have 10 to 15 total, depending on their size.) Pour the chocolate topping over the platter of rolled pancakes. If desired, warm the platter in a microwave for about 30 seconds before serving.

HAM PALACSINTA

Steps:

• To make the crêpes: Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill for one hour.
• Heat an 8" skillet over medium heat. Grease it with cooking spray or a little oil, then spoon some batter in (I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup. It works perfectly), and quickly tilt in all directions so that batter covers bottom of skillet.
• Cook 2 minutes or until crêpe can be shaken loose from skillet. Turn crêpe, and cook about 30 seconds. Slide out of pan, and repeat until you've used up the rest of the batter, stacking crêpes with waxed paper in between each. Refrigerate until you're ready to fill them.
• To fill the crêpes: Mix ham and sour cream well.
• Spread at least 1 teaspoon (you'll know how much is right) of ham filling on top of one crêpe. Keep at least 1" from the edge of the crêpe.
• Roll up and tuck in corners, like rolling up a burrito. Repeat with all, until you're out of filling or crêpes (but you should have plenty crêpes).
• For the coating: Combine milk and eggs together. Place flour, egg mixture, and breadcrumbs in separate containers in that order in a row.
• Take each rolled-up crêpe, cover with flour, dip in egg mixture, then cover with breadcrumbs.
• Heat enough oil to pan fry (you don't want to deep fry, but you want enough to surround the crepe), over medium to medium-high heat, then stick each crêpe in and fry slowly until golden brown.
• Top with some honey mustard dressing, to taste.

HAM-FILLED PALACSINTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl add all the ingredients for the batter, then whisk until smooth. Cook the pancakes in an oiled pancake pan (15cm in diameter), oiling the pan before each new pancake. The batter makes for 12 pancakes.
• Mince the ham.
• Sauté butter and flour, then pour in the milk, while constantly stirring until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and add mustard.
• Set aside to cool a bit. Once the sauce is lukewarm, stir in the egg yolk, sour cream, and whipped egg white. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Grease a 20X20cm baking pan.
• To assemble, top 11 of the pancakes with ham, white sauce, and parmesan cheese, stack them and transfer to a baking pan.
• Cover with the remaining pancake, and spread it with white sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Bake in a 200°C oven for 25-30 minutes.