Palacsinta (Hungarian Pancakes)

I remember growing up with my grandmother’s Hungarian Pancakes and I am so proud of this dessert. In my household, we eat Palacsinta with homemade jams. My favorite was with the strawberry and apricot jams. Also, love the Palacsinta Recipe Cottage Cheese being sweet and creamy.

If I was craving the crepes, I always knew who I had to ask to make them for me. This is the recipe, that I want to share with you.

Palacsinta is a thin crêpe-like variety of pancakes of Greco-Roman origin. While the dessert is most common in South and West Slavic countries, it is also generally known in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word placenta, which in turn is derived from the Greek word plakous for thin or layered flatbreads.

According to the Hungarian Ethnographic Encyclopedia, the Hungarian word palacsinta is an Italian loanword.

How many variations Palacsinta recipe has?

The Hungarian crepe is thin, egg-based crepes that are rolled and stuffed with fillings that are usually sweet. Old-time favorite…the homemade jams; nuts, sweet cheese, or Nutella are popular fillings also. Savory versions often include meat cooked with sour cream, paprika, and tomatoes.

The pancake may also be eaten unsweetened as the main course, such as a meat-filled Hortobágyi Palacsinta.

It is a portion of popular street food, sold in food stands around Hungary — and also in neighboring Romania, where they are called clătite.

Some people say it’s crepes, some people say it’s pancakes… let’s get it straight. Hungarian pancakes are thin pancakes similar to the French crêpe. The main difference between the French and Central European versions of the dish is that the mixture for palacsinta recipe can be used straight away unlike the crepes which are suggested to be left at rest for several hours. And also, Palacsinta is a little bit thinner, than the crepes.

 With a nice soup starter, for example, Hungarian cabbage soup, these pancakes can make a delicious main course also. A beautiful way to serve them is to allow everyone to choose their own fillings.

How to make my grandmother’s Hungarian Pancakes?

The good news is you can’t make it bad. However you make it, it will taste good. Make sure that you have a non-stick frying pan, and like that there is no possibility that will break.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup soda water (optional)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• pinch of salt
• few drops of oil for frying

Soda water is optional but helps the crepe to be soft. If you don’t have soda water you can use mineral water, but don’t forget to put 1 tsp of baking soda. Also, check out Substitute for Flour in Pancakes for ideas if you don’t have the flour that you need.

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, milk, soda water, and vegetable oil.

Stir to form a smooth batter.

Heat the 10-inch skillet and when the pan is hot, add 2 drops of oil. Use a small ladle to add batter to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin, layer, rotating the pan as needed to cover.

Cook for 1 minute on the first side and ½ minute on the second side or until the crepe is lightly browned. Remove and keep warm while cooking the rest of the crepes. Add 1-2 drops of oil before cooking each crepe.

Fill the crepes as you wish. If you want to taste the traditional Hungarian style you can use strawberry or apricot jam, sweet cottage cheese, or simply granulated sugar. 

But you can use your imagination, fill it how you wish. Nutella, whipped cream, fresh fruit, sugary ground walnuts, or whatever matches your taste.

Conclusion

This treat is my old-time favorite, traditional grandmother’s Hungarian Pancakes, which I love and adore. I am sure that you will like this dessert also. Easy to make, fast and it doesn’t need expensive ingredients.

In Hungary and Transilvania, this is traditional, so you will find it in every household.

We Hungarians, love to make homemade jams, like apricots, strawberries, plumbs, and many more. And.. we are eating with these combinations. When we didn’t have even these things, we just filled them with granulated sugar. This was my childhood. And I loved every moment of it.