As Easter approaches, family kitchens in Hungary are filled with festive atmosphere and delicious smells. The eagerly awaited smoked, pickled and cured flavours are coming out, and home Easter dinners are an unforgettable family experience with the flavours and unique taste of traditional Hungarian recipes. Let's take stock of (and chew over) the culinary trends and customs that characterise this holiday in Hungarian households.
Easter smoke and marinade
The preparation of Easter ham is almost always the most anticipated part of the festive menu and the food on the table. Most people buy their good quality ham, perhaps from backyard farmers, others pickle it in their own kitchens in the traditional way and smoke it. The curing is basically salt, bors, garlic, bay leaf and other spices, or dry -, wet pickling. The spices are rubbed onto the ham and left to stand for 2-3 weeks. The wet curing process works in a similar way, but the spices mixed with salt are dissolved in water and the ham is cured in this for 3-4 weeks. This is followed by smoking, which is traditionally done with a wood fire or straw to achieve a deeper flavour. The kitchen utensils needed for curing include the right knives for preparing the meat, a large pot, a home curing pot, the right spices and the curing salt.
Easter table with typical dishes
Boiled eggs, the Easter table is an essential element not only as a decoration but also as food. In fact, it's one of the simplest dishes to put on the table, so you don't even need professional tools to prepare it, just a single pan. Along with the egg, the aforementioned smoked, cooked ham completes the meal and for many of us is an essential part of Easter.
The home loaf a typical Easter cake, but in fact a substitute for bread in savoury dishes. For the dough, a good quality dough mixer or food processor can help a lot.
A franciasalata another popular side dish for Easter, which requires a kitchen knife and a lot of patience to prepare. For faster progress, a powerful chopper, a grater and a vegetables for chopping, and a large bowl for mixing and serving.
Our most popular recipes for Easter
Easter bean soup with smoked boiled ham
Paprika and gravy roast lamb
Oven lamb chops
Ham and cheese rolls
Bacon and ham tart
Carrot cake
Casino eggs
Ecetes torma
Easter drinking culture
Of course, the custom of drinking should not be left out of the party or just visiting family. At this time of year, everyone is happy to bring out the local drinks, such as fruit brandies and wines, mostly red, as their character is more in harmony with the food on the Easter table.
