I got the bare bones of this recipe from a paprika farmer Agota Hodi, when I visited her farm in Szeged, the border area of Hungary with Romania.
Szeged along with Kalocsa area are the traditional paprika growing areas of Hungary. Hungarian paprika is known for the intensity of pigment, the flavour and quality.
I had more of this stew than I could eat, so I added cubes of feta and filled triangles of filo pastry with the mixture, brushing the pastry with melted butter and adding poppy seeds. They were delicious.
Hungarian potato and paprika stew
I was given this for lunch by a paprika farmer Agota Hodi. It was simple but delicious. As she said at the time 'you won't get this in restaurants, it's simple home food'. Here I have recreated it for you. Good fresh paprika is essential. It should have been kept in a cool, dark place. It must have retained its deep terracotta colour. You can use smoked, or sweet, or hot paprika, depending on your taste.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 brown onions, sliced finely
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, deseeded, pith removed, chopped lengthways
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp either sweet, smoked or hot paprika, or a mix
- 3 large tomatoes, chopped
- 500 ml vegetable stock or more if you want a more liquid stew
Instructions
- Fry the onions in the olive oil in a deep saucepan until soft. Add the garlic
- Add the potatoes and peppers and fry gently. Add salt, cumin, and the paprika
- Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock. Cook until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Serve with yoghurt and bread.
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