Meaty dumplings are a no fuss noodle dish that can help you solve your “what’s for lunch/dinner” dilemma. It’s a combination of the popular Hungarian galuska (or nokedli) and a thick stew made from ground pork. The dumplings are topped with a sour cream-paprika mixture and cooked in the oven until golden brown. And what is more, you can test how red pepper paste I shared last week works in practice.

Ingredients:
For the stew:
- 400 g (~14 oz) ground pork
- 1 tbsp lard
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp red pepper paste
- 1 tbsp sweet ground paprika
- 150 g (~5 1/4 oz) tomato paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves
For the dumplings:
- 400 g (~3 1/4 cups) flour
- 2 eggs
- pinch of salt
- 250 ml (~1 cup) water
For the topping:
- 300 g (~2/3 lb) sour cream
- 1/2 tbsp sweet ground paprika
Heat lard in a sauté pan, add ground pork and fry, while stirring frequently, until it turns white and the liquid the meat has released boils away. Add finely chopped onions and garlic, stir in paprika, red pepper paste and tomato paste. Pour in water (approx. 300 ml / 1 1/4 cups), season with salt and pepper and over medium-low heat cook for 25-30 minutes until soft and tender (add more water if necessary). Once the meat is done, add finely chopped parsley leaves, give it a good stir and turn off the heat.
While the meat is cooking, make the galuska/dumplings. In a bowl mix together flour, salt, eggs and water to get a thick batter. With a spoon push the batter through a dumpling maker (nokedli szaggató) into a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook them for 2-3 minutes. Strain and add them to the stew. Stir to combine.
Transfer the meaty dumplings in a lightly greased casserole dish. In a small bowl combine sour cream and paprika, then spread this mixture on top of the dumplings evenly. Place it in the oven and bake at 200°C / 392 °F for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
