Rakott Krumpli

Hungarian Roasted Potatoes
Contributed by Gaspar Lesznik

Behind the Dish

Gaspar’s parents migrated from Hungary in 1951 and eventually settled in Queens, bringing many Hungarian customs and foodways with them. Rakott Krupli, “a simple peasant food,” as Gaspar describes it, is one of the dishes he grew up on.  His mother, originally from the village of Baja in Hungary, often made this dish on Saturdays or Sundays when she had a little more time to prepare a meal. Of the ingredients, Gaspar says:

“Don’t skimp on the sour cream and paprika. In Hungary, sour cream and paprika are considered their own food group. This is not a heart-healthy meal. This is very much a comfort food.”

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 - 60 minutes
Total: ~1 hour and 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ½ lbs. potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold)

• 5-6 large eggs, hard boiled

• 1 lb. smoked sausage, (smoked Kolbasz if available), cut in ¼ inch slices

• 1 pint sour cream or more

• Paprika (There are two types of paprika – sweet and spicy. Use sweet paprika.)

• Butter

Instructions

• In a large pot boil the potatoes till they are tender.

• In the same pot boil the eggs but watch the timing. Seven minutes for the eggs, longer for the potatoes.

• Drain and allow everything to cool.

• Peel the potatoes and slice into thin discs.

• Peel the hardboiled eggs and slice thinly or use an egg slicer.

• Slice the sausage into think discs.

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Butter a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and begin assembly:

• Layer the bottom with potatoes first, then a layer of hardboiled eggs, then a layer of sausage.  (There will be voids in between all the ingredients. Don’t worry about it.)

• Spread sour cream over the layers. Don’t skimp.

• Repeat the layers – potatoes, eggs, sausage, and sour cream.

• Finish with a layer of potatoes, some more sour cream, and dust with paprika.

• Bake in oven 45 – 60 minutes till browned and bubbly.   

• Serve with a tossed salad and crusty rye bread.