We Hungarians love breading foods. The standard three-step breading process works on a variety of meats, cheese and vegetables – and surprisingly, also on semolina porridge (tejbegríz). A dense semolina porridge is spread evenly in a thickness of 1-1,5 cm (~1/2 inch) right after it has been removed from the heat. Once it’s cool, it’s cut into squares, which are breaded with the usual flour-egg-breadcrumbs technique, then they are fried in oil. Breaded semolina porridge squares go well with fruit jam or chocolate sauce, or they are just dusted with powdered sugar.

Ingredients:

• 1 liter (~4 1/4 cups) milk
• 100 g (~1/2 cup) sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 20 g (~1 1/2 tbsp) butter
• 180 g (~1 cup) semolina

For the breading:

• flour
• 3-4 eggs (or less if you add milk to the egg wash)
• breadcrumbs

• oil for frying

Place milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and butter in a medium-sized pot and start to heat. When the milk is warm, but not hot, stir in semolina. Cook, while stirring continuously, until the semolina porridge thickens.

Pour the porridge in a rinsed, still wet oblong dish or cake pan. Spread evenly in a thickness of 1-1,5 cm (~1/2 inch). Let it cool, then put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

Cut the semolina porridge into squares. Dredge them in flour, dip them in beaten eggs and finally coat them in breadcrumbs. Heat 100-200 ml (~1/2-3/4 cup) of oil in a frying pan and over medium heat fry the semolina porridge squares on both sides until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and serve immediately.