by ADMIN on JULY 13, 2011
My father was born in Totsemarton, Hungary. When he was about 4, my Nugymama (‘grandmother’ in Hungarian) smuggled him across the Danube, escaping the Hungarian Revolution. So I grew up with strong Hungarian influences – one of my favorites being the food.
This dish’s signature flavor comes from the paprika, and boiling the entire stuffed pepper in a savory tomato broth infuses incredible flavors.
Toltottpaprika (Hugarian Stuffed Bell Peppers)
Author: My Nugymama (Grandmother in Hungarian)
Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 6
Paprika is the signature flavor of this beautiful Hungarian dish. And simmering the stuffed peppers in a savory tomato broth brings out the pepper's tenderness.
Ingredients
6 large green peppers, tops cut off and seeds taken out. Keep the top.
½ pound 93% lean ground beef
½ pound 95% lean ground turkey
1 egg
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
4-5 cups spaghetti sauce or spicy V8
4-5 cups water
3 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Saute onions and celery until translucent and tender. Let veggies cool then mix with the ground turkey, ground beef, egg, spices, and rice.
Fill hollowed-out bell peppers with the mixture, placing the bell pepper cap back on top once filled.
Place peppers in a large pot, you may need 2 pots. Pour tomato sauce around the bell peppers, filling the pot to about halfway up the peppers (reserve ½ cup sauce). Add water until the liquid level reaches just under the pepper tops (not covering them). Bring to a boil, covered.
Meanwhile, saute the olive oil and flour to form a roux. Add ½ cup V8 or spaghetti sauce and mix well into the roux. Add roux to the pot with peppers (divide between two pots if needed).
Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the center is fully cooked.