Hortobágyi Meat Pancakes

Start by preparing the pörkölt (stew): finely chop the red onion, then sauté it in a thick-bottomed pot with a little oil or lard until translucent. Remove from heat, add the sweet paprika powder, stir quickly, then pour in a little water to prevent the paprika from burning. Add the diced boneless chicken thighs, chopped tomato and green bell pepper, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then cover and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender, about 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed.

While the stew is cooking, prepare the pancake batter: in a bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs, milk, water, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes. Heat a little oil in a frying pan, then pour a ladleful of batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Fry until golden brown on both sides, then set aside. Make 8-10 pancakes.

Once the stew is ready, remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with a fork or chop it into small pieces. Reserve the remaining sauce for later. Mix the shredded chicken with some of the stew sauce to keep it moist. Fill the pancakes with the meaty filling, then roll them up or fold them into squares.

Bring the reserved stew sauce to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with the flour until smooth, then add a ladle or two of the hot sauce to temper it. Pour the sour cream mixture back into the boiling sauce, stirring constantly until it thickens. Taste and season with more salt or pepper if necessary.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Arrange the filled pancakes in a baking dish, then pour the creamy paprika sauce over them. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and slightly browned on top. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.