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Slambuc
Slambuc: Hortobágy herdsmen's tarhonya and potatoes cooked in bacon fat with a crisp crust
Out on the Hortobágy puszta, the cattle and horse herders cooked in a bogrács, a cauldron hung over an open fire, and slambuc was their everyday meal: cheap, filling and made from what kept. Smoked pork bacon is rendered until crisp, the little egg-pasta pellets called tarhonya are toasted in the fat, then potatoes, paprika and water go in, and the pot is stirred until it turns thick, then left alone so a golden crust forms underneath. It is smoky, starchy and very satisfying, and it is served with pickles and fresh onion. You can make it in a heavy casserole on the stove. Where most people go wrong is stirring all the way to the end; let it sit for the last minutes so the bottom can crisp. Chef's tip: the crust, called the pörc, is the best part, so scrape it up and share it out.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz smoked streaky bacon or smoked pork bellycut into small cubes
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 ⅓ lb floury potatoespeeled, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 4 ¼ cups hot water
- 1 tsp saltto taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 5 ½ oz pickled gherkins or csalamádé (optional)
- 4 spring onions (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Fry the 5 ½ oz smoked streaky bacon or smoked pork belly in a heavy, wide casserole over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until the fat has run out and the cubes are crisp and browned all through. Lift out the crisp pieces and keep them.
10 minStep 2: Add the 1 onion to the fat and fry for 5 minutes, until golden.
5 minStep 3: Add the 9 oz tarhonya (egg barley pasta) and stir for 4 minutes, until it smells toasty and turns a shade darker.
4 minStep 4: Take the pot off the heat, stir in the 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika, then add the 1 ⅓ lb floury potatoes, the 1 tsp salt, the ½ tsp black pepper and 800 ml of the 3 ¼ cups hot water.
2 minStep 5: Simmer over a medium heat, stirring often, for 15–18 minutes, adding the rest of the ¾ cup hot water if it gets dry, until the potatoes are falling apart and the tarhonya is tender and the mixture is thick.
18 minStep 6: Stir the crisp bacon back in, smooth the top, turn the heat to low and leave without stirring for 6–8 minutes, until it crackles and a golden crust forms on the base.
8 minStep 7: Serve hot, scraping up the crust, with 5 ½ oz pickled gherkins or csalamádé and 4 spring onions.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does slambuc take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of sweet hungarian paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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