Hungarian pork stew, with dumplings

The base to a good hungarian pork stew is fat (lard), paprika and enough onion. The good quality meat only comes right after this.

Although there are several versions floating around these days, but I would stick to the classic one, just how my gradmother makes it.

Ingredients:

• 1 heaped tablespoon of good quality lard
• 1 cm thick and 5 cm long smoked bacon (preferably pork belly)
• 2 medium size onion
• 2 garlic (peeled)
• 4 taspoon salt
• 4 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 500 g pork meat, diced, preferably leg or shoulder 
• 1 medium size tomato
• water (or vegetable stock to cover)

Method

Pick a large pot. Least 3-4 l size.
Peel the onion and dice to small pieces (smaller than half cm).
Spoon the lard into the pot, set to medium heat, and start to melt. Drop the thin sliced garlic, the diced bacon too. Season with salt.
Sauté the onion till the onion and the bacon start to get glossy.

Take the pot off the heat, spoon the paprika and the smoket paprika to the mixture, then immediately pour 1 dl of water - otherwise it becomes bitter.

Put back, then drop one medium size chopped tomato - or in off-season you can substitute with one tablespoon of tomato paste. Pour the diced meat, stir it well, and cook till the meat is browned. Spice with the pepper, then pour the water (stock) just enough to cover the meat.Put the lid on and cook for about 30-40 minutes, then take off the lid and cook till the meat is tender and the sauce reduced.

Someone likes it more loose, with more meaty gravy, someone likes it a litte more dense. It's all up to you what you prefer.

The dumplings:

• 2 large egg
• 6 tbs of flour
• pintch of salt.
• 1 ts of water

Beat the egg on a bowl. Pour the flour, add a pinch of salt and the water, then mix it well. The mixture has to be dense and creamy, but not tough.
Boil one litre of salted water. Grab a spoon, water it then start to pick and scratch small dumpling shape pasta pieces into the boiling water. Cooked when all come to the surface.
Add an extra 5 minutes.

Just right before serving you should mix the dumplings with the stew.

Enjoy!