How Hungarian do you have to be to claim a Hungarian heritage? It’s all in how much paprika, dumplings, and stuffed peppers you consumed as a child.
I lay claim to a good dose of Hungarian, due to my grandmother’s heavy-handed use of that zesty red spice. However, I’ve only sprinkled it in a few dishes of my own, dooming my children to an upbringing nearly barren of Hungarian influence.
Over the years, genetics has done its part in sifting out the Hungarian, like paprika spilled on the wind. My great-grandfather was a Sarkody from the old country. His very Hungarian nose was passed down through the generations until it is now only slightly Hungarian on my children’s all-American faces.
So, what I couldn’t pass on to my kids, I passed on to my character, Patricia Amble, the heroine of Love Me If You Must, Kill Me If You Can, and Kiss Me If You Dare. Tish comes from good Hungarian stock. Her grandmother is a Nagy, about as common a Hungarian name as Smith or Jones is American. And Tish herself has a knack for making Chicken Paprikash, one of my own favorites.
One thing Hungarian that I can pass on to my children – and to you – is the family recipe for Chicken Paprikash that my mother and her mother used over the last century and into the new one. (Don't worry -- Lil' Puddin', shown above, is our family pet and safe from the kettle!)
The recipe for the best Chicken Paprikash can be found on page 295 of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book Ninth Edition, circa 1981. Unfortunately, the volume can only be found used at Amazon or e-bay. My own copy is too valuable to part with, and so many other dedicated fans of this volume feel the same way. Other recipes found at Cooks.com just aren’t the same as Grandma’s.
The Better Homes and Gardens recipe recommends serving the dish over noodles (I prefer egg noodles). But my favorite way to serve Chicken Paprikash is over homemade dumplings. Here’s my mom’s quick recipe for homemade dumplings: Mix four cups flour, four eggs, a dash of salt, and one cup water. Drop by heaping teaspoons into boiling water. When the dumplings float to the top (five or so minutes) they’re done. Drain and serve.
E-mail me if you'd like the family recipe for Chicken Paprikash. Enjoy!
