Pottages

The Taste of Heritage

Hungary is a country with a rich culinary heritage, where traditional dishes have been passed down through generations, embodying the flavors of the land and the spirit of its people. Among these cherished dishes are pottages, the humble yet hearty pottages that hold a special place in Hungarian cuisine. These thick, vegetable-based stews are not only a staple in Hungarian households but also a symbol of comfort and nostalgia. Pottages have been a part of Hungarian cuisine for centuries, evolving from the need to create filling, nutritious meals from readily available ingredients. They were particularly popular among rural communities, where fresh produce was abundant.

At its core, a pottage is a thick, creamy vegetable stew. The most common vegetables used in pottages include potatoes, peas, beans, spinach, cabbage, and lentils. What sets these pottages apart from other vegetable dishes is the method of thickening. Instead of using a roux, as in many Western soups and stews, pottages are often thickened with a combination of flour and sour cream, or sometimes just flour mixed with water. This gives the dish its signature velvety texture and a characteristic flavor.

In modern Hungary, pottages continue to be a popular choice for lunch or dinner, especially during the colder months when a warm, hearty meal is most comforting. While the traditional recipes remain largely unchanged, some variations have emerged over time, with home cooks experimenting with different ingredients and seasonings. Pottages are also a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, and their versatility means they can be adapted to suit a variety of tastes and dietary needs. Whether enjoyed as a main dish or a side, they offer a taste of Hungary's culinary heritage and a comforting reminder of home.

Hungarian pottages are more than just a meal; they are a connection to the past, a reflection of Hungary's agricultural roots, and a testament to the enduring appeal of simple, honest food. Whether you’re a native Hungarian or a food enthusiast exploring the country's cuisine, these pottages are sure to warm your heart and soul. So, the next time you're looking for a dish that embodies the spirit of Hungary, why not try making a pottage? It's a delicious way to experience the tradition and taste of this beautiful country.

Green Pea Pottage with Fried Egg

Ingredients:

30 dkg green peas (frozen or fresh) (10 oz)
1/2 tablespoon lard
1 tablespoon flour
1 dl milk (0.5 cups)
Salt
Sugar
2 eggs

Instructions:

Place the peas in a pot with a little salt and enough water to cover them. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
In a separate pan, heat the lard, add the flour, and sauté until it turns light brown.
Pour the cooked peas along with their cooking water into the pan with the roux.
Add enough milk to achieve a stew-like consistency. Season with salt and a little sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.
In a frying pan, cook the eggs sunny side up.
Serve the green pea pottage with the fried eggs on top.

Bean Pottage with Fried Sausage

Ingredients:

35 dkg pinto beans (12 oz) (soaked overnight), 4 cloves garlic,

3 bay leaves,

Salt

Black Pepper

2 dl sour cream (0.8 cups),

2 tablespoons flour,

A pinch of sugar,

A little vinegar,

20 dkg smoked sausage (7 oz)

A little oil or lard

Instructions:

Soak the beans overnight. The next day, place them in a pot with enough water to cover them. Add salt, pepper, garlic, and bay leaves, and cook until the beans are soft. If soaked, the beans will cook faster.
Once the beans are tender, prepare a roux with sour cream and flour. Mix the sour cream and flour well, dilute it with a little water, then take some of the hot bean stew to temper the mixture before pouring it back into the stew. Add a pinch of sugar and bring the stew to a boil. Finally, add a little vinegar to give it a slight tang.
Slice the sausage into rounds and fry it in a little fat or lard. At the end, mix a pinch of ground paprika into the fat in the pan for extra color and flavor. Serve the sausage slices on top of the pottage.

Zucchini Pottage with Fried Sausage

Ingredients:

2 large zucchinis, shredded
1 small onion
2 tablespoons oil
2 dl sour cream (0.8 cups)
1 tablespoon flour
1 bunch dill
Salt
Black Pepper
Sugar
Vinegar
2 pairs of sausages
A little oil or lard

Instructions:

Dice the onion and lightly sauté it in the fat until it turns translucent. Add the shredded zucchini, which has been slightly salted and squeezed to remove excess water, and stir well. Cover and let it simmer.
The zucchini will release liquid due to the salt, so you won’t need to add much water—just a little if needed. Season with pepper and finely chopped dill.
Once the zucchini is soft, add the roux made from sour cream and flour. At this point, add a little sugar and bring it all to a boil.
Remove from heat and season with vinegar.
Score the sausages, then fry them in a bit of fat, turning frequently until cooked. Serve the zucchini stew with the fried sausages, drizzling a bit of the sausage fat over the stew for added flavor.

Lettuce Pottage with Fried Eggs

Ingredients:

1 head of lettuce
3 cloves garlic
1 level tablespoon fat or lard
2 tablespoons flour
2 dl milk (0.8 cups)
Salt
Sugar
Vinegar
2 eggs
Lard or oil for frying

Instructions:

Wash the lettuce thoroughly and separate the leaves. Place them in a pot with salted water and add the garlic cloves. Only a little water is needed since the lettuce will release moisture.
Once the lettuce is cooked (don't overcook it; the core should remain slightly crisp), prepare the roux.
Sprinkle the flour over the hot fat and lightly brown it, then add the cold milk and the strained cooking liquid from the lettuce. Pour the mixture back over the lettuce through a strainer (to avoid lumps) and bring it to a boil. Add a little sugar and more salt if needed.
Remove from heat and season with vinegar.
Fry the eggs sunny-side up as usual and place them on top of the lettuce stew when serving.

Squash Pottage with Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 kg squash, shredded (2.2 lbs)
1 onion
1 tablespoon fat or lard
2 dl sour cream (0.8 cups)
2 tablespoons flour
1 bunch dill
Salt
Black Pepper
Sugar
Vinegar

Instructions:

Dice the onion and sauté it in the fat until soft.
Add the shredded squash to the pan, season with salt, and cook until the squash releases its liquid and becomes tender.
Once the squash is cooked, add the finely chopped dill and season with pepper.
Prepare a roux by mixing the flour into the sour cream, then slowly add it to the squash, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Add a pinch of sugar and a little vinegar to taste, and simmer for a few minutes until the stew thickens.
Serve the squash stew with your favorite meatballs.

Lentil Pottage with Fried Frankfurter

Ingredients:

40 dkg lentils (14 oz) (soaked overnight)
3 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 heaping tablespoon fat or lard (or 4 tablespoons oil)
2 tablespoons flour
2 dl sour cream (0.8 cups)
Salt
Black Pepper
Vinegar
Sugar
2 pairs of frankfurter
A little oil or lard
A little ground paprika

Instructions:

After sorting and washing the lentils, soak them overnight. The next day, place the lentils in a pot with enough water to cover them.
Add salt, bay leaves, and garlic, and cook until the lentils are tender.
Prepare a light roux using fat, the finely diced onion, and flour. First, sauté the onion until slightly browned, then add the flour. Dilute the mixture with a bit of water and pour it over the lentils. Add the sour cream, season with salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar, and bring to a boil.
Cut the frankfurter into pieces and fry them in a bit of fat. At the end, mix a pinch of ground paprika into the fat in the pan for extra color and flavor. Serve the frankfurter slices on top of the pottage.

Yellow Split Pea Pottage with Fried Bacon

Ingredients:

35 dkg yellow split peas (12 oz)
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fat or lard (or 4 tablespoons oil)
2 tablespoons flour
Salt
Black Pepper
Ground Paprika
2 dl milk (0.8 cups)
Smoked bacon

Instructions:

The evening before cooking, rinse the split peas thoroughly in several changes of water, then soak them overnight.
The next day, place the split peas in a pot with enough water to cover them well. Add the bay leaves, garlic, and half of the onion. Season with salt and pepper, then cook until the peas are soft. If soaked, they will cook more quickly.
Once the peas are tender, prepare the roux. Heat the fat in a pan, add the other half of the onion, diced, and sauté until light brown. Add the flour and cook until it turns golden. Remove from heat, sprinkle with a bit of paprika, then gradually add about 1 dl (0.4 cups) of water and the same amount of milk, stirring to combine. Pour this mixture through a strainer into the cooked peas.
Bring the stew to a boil, stirring well. If it's too thick, you can thin it with a bit more milk. Keep in mind that the stew will thicken further as it cools.
Slice the bacon, score it, and fry until crispy, forming a "cock's comb" shape. Serve the yellow split pea stew topped with the fried bacon.

Brussels Sprout Pottage with Chicken Stew

Ingredients:

50 dkg Brussels sprouts (1.1 lbs) (frozen is fine)
3 medium potatoes
Salt
Black Pepper
Caraway seeds (to taste)
1 tablespoon fat or lard (or 4 tablespoons oil)
2 tablespoons flour
2 dl milk (0.8 cups)

Instructions:

Cut the potatoes into cubes and add them to a pot along with the Brussels sprouts. Pour in just enough water to cover the vegetables. Season with salt, pepper, and caraway seeds.
Cook until the Brussels sprouts and potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, prepare a light roux by heating the fat in a pan, adding the flour, and cooking until lightly browned. Add the roux to the cooked vegetables, then dilute with milk, stirring well.
Serve the Brussels sprout pottage alongside chicken stew.

Savoy Cabbage Pottage with Fried Sausages

Ingredients:

1 head Savoy cabbage
4 medium potatoes
Salt
Balck Pepper
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 heaping tablespoon fat or lard (or 4 tablespoons oil)
2 tablespoons flour
2 dl milk (0.8 cups)
2 pairs of sausages
A little oil or lard for frying
A pinch of ground paprika

Instructions:

Slice the Savoy cabbage and dice the potatoes. Place them in a pot with just enough water to cover the vegetables. The cabbage will release some liquid, so you don’t need much water. Season with salt, pepper, and caraway seeds.
Cook until the potatoes are tender and the cabbage is soft.
Prepare a light roux by heating the fat in a pan, adding the flour, and cooking until lightly browned. Add the cooking liquid from the pot to the roux, then pour it back over the cabbage and potatoes. Add the milk and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring well.
Slice the sausages and fry them on both sides in a little fat. At the end, mix a pinch of ground paprika into the fat in the pan for extra color and flavor. Serve the sausage slices on top of the pottage.

Sorrel Pottage with Fried Eggs and Sausages

Ingredients:

50 dkg frozen sorrel purée (1.1 lbs)
5 dkg butter (1.8 oz)
2 dl sour cream (0.8 cups)
1 tablespoon flour
Salt
Sugar
2 eggs
20 dkg sausage (7 oz)
Oil or lard for frying

Instructions:

Thaw the sorrel purée. Heat the butter in a pan, add the sorrel, lightly salt it, and cook until the excess water has evaporated.
Make a slurry by mixing the sour cream with the flour and a little water. Pour this mixture over the sorrel and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Add a little sugar to taste.
Fry the eggs in some fat until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Place the eggs on top of the sorrel pottage.
In the same pan, fry the sausage slices on both sides until golden. At the end, mix a pinch of ground paprika into the fat in the pan for extra color and flavor. Serve the sausage slices on top of the pottage.

Green Bean Pottage with Fried Frankfurter

Ingredients:

50 dkg green beans (1.1 lbs) (frozen is fine)
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch dill
1 tablespoon fat or lard (or 4 tablespoons oil)
2 tablespoons flour
2 dl sour cream (0.8 cups)
Salt
Pepper
A little sugar
A splash of vinegar
2 pairs of sausages
Fat or oil for frying

Instructions:

Place the green beans in a pot and add just enough water to cover them. Add the garlic, dill, and a pinch of salt.
Cook the beans until tender. Meanwhile, prepare a light roux by heating the fat (or oil) in a pan, adding the flour, and cooking until lightly browned. Gradually add a bit of cold water to the roux, then pour this mixture over the cooked green beans. Add the sour cream and bring everything to a boil, stirring well.
Season the stew with a little ground pepper and sugar, then simmer for a few more minutes.
After removing the pot from the heat, add a splash of vinegar to balance the flavors. The sugar helps balance the acidity from the vinegar.
Slice the frankfurter and fry them in a little fat (or oil) until golden. At the end, mix a pinch of ground paprika into the fat in the pan for extra color and flavor. Serve the frankfurter on top of the green bean pottage.

Toppings:

You can serve the pottages with different toppings, like meatballs, stew, sausages, frankfurter, or fired eggs. You can use the toppings to your taste, but there are some recommendations:

Green Bean Pottage: Fried eggs, fried frankfurter, fried sausages, meatballs

Zucchini Pottage: Fried sausages, chicken stew

Lettuce Pottage: Fried eggs, meatballs

Squash Pottage: Fried sausages, chicken stew, meatballs

Lentil Pottage: Fried frankfurter, fried sausages

Yellow Split Pea Pottage: Fried bacon, meatballs

Brussels Sprout Pottage: Chicken stew

Savoy Cabbage Pottage: Chicken stew, fried sausages

Sorrel Pottage: Fried eggs, fried sausages

Green Bean Pottage: Chicken stew, meatballs, fried frankfurter, fried sausages

Meatballs

Ingredients:

1/2 kg pork leg (1.1 lbs)
3-4 cloves garlic
2 slices of bread
1 egg
Salt
Black Pepper
Paprika
Oil or lard for frying

Instructions:

Cut the pork into small pieces or grind it. Soak the bread slices in water, then squeeze out the excess liquid and crumble them into the meat.
Add the minced garlic, egg, salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix everything together until well combined.
Shape the mixture into small, flat patties.
Heat the fat or lard in a pan and fry the patties on both sides until golden brown and cooked through.

Chicken stew

Ingredients:

2 whole chicken thighs
1 large onion
1 tablespoon pork lard (or oil)
1 tablespoon paprika
Salt
Black Pepper

Instructions:

Heat the lard in a pan until hot. Add the finely chopped onion and fry until it becomes a light golden color.
Once the onion is evenly golden, reduce the heat, add the paprika, and stir quickly. Immediately pour in about 1 dl (0.4 cups) of water to prevent the paprika from burning. This will also allow the onion to swell a bit.
Place the halved chicken thighs into the pan, stirring well to coat them evenly with the onion-paprika mixture.
Add 2 dl (0.8 cups) of water, season with salt and pepper, and cover the pan. Simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

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