BlogToTheNextOne: Rakott Krumpli

The Final Product:

Hungarian is a phonetic language (actually Estonian, related to Finnish). So the name of this dish is fun to pronounce. My daughter used to love asking for it, not only because she loved the flavor, but it was fun to say: Rakott Krumpli (means something like potato casserole-krumpli is one of the words for potato).

Rakott Krumpli was one of my favorite childhood dishes. I love potatoes and while some may think blending potatoes, hard boiled eggs and sausage (in this case a good quality pepperoni from Gloriosso Brothers). These three flavors (the pepperoni juice blends great with the eggs and potato) combine great. In Budapest my mother used csabai sausage (similar to pepperoni) thinly sliced. Again, a good quality pepperoni is a great substitute.

Anyone who has sampled this dish, so far, loved it (and the sample turns into main course).

There are variations of this dish. Some add cheese-I only saw that on the internet, but to me that kills the great blend of egg/pepperoni/potato flavor (would dull it out). The authentic version does not have cheese (as George Lang doesn’t recommend it either, and he is a highly respected chef). My mother made the version I make (except with Hungarian sausage).

Recipe:

3 pounds russet potatoes cooked in their skins

½-2/3 pounds thinly sliced pepperoni (vegetarians can use a vegetarian pepperoni)

1 stick of butter melted (or soy butter)

7-8 hard boiled eggs

16 oz. of sour cream

salt

Hungarian Paprika

Peel potatoes and remove shell from hardboiled eggs.

Use a rectangular casserole and butter bottom with a stick of butter (or soy butter)

Slice 1/3 of potatoes and distribute on the bottom of the casserole

Pour some of the melted butter over the potatoes and sprinkle some salt on top.

Lay out about half the pepperoni on top of the potatoes

Slice and layer 1/3 of the potatoes on top of the pepperoni

Salt and pour a small part of the butter on top

Use an eggslicer and spread the eggs on top of the potato layer

Spread ½ the pepperoni over the eggs

Spread the final 1/3 of the potatoes on top of this, salt and drizzle with butter

Spread all the sour cream over the top (use a spoon and knife to spread)

Generously sprinkle with Hungarian Paprika

Make sure that the corners are filled with pepperoni and eggs (sometimes the crunchy egg and pepperoni combination is the best).

Bake for about 45 minutes (or more depending on oven-you should hear the pepperoni sizzling which ensures that it released it’s flavor fully into the dish).

Remove from oven and let it stand for about 5 minutes and serve.

This is a LOT of food and it makes for some very tasty leftovers.