Liver noodles (májas nokedli) represent a delightful fusion of traditional flavours. This comforting dish is actually a kind of nokedli, a Hungarian dumpling reminiscent of spaetzle. The nokedli batter, typically a mixture of flour, eggs, and water, is pushed through a nokedli maker into simmering water, creating small, irregularly shaped noodles that boast a tender texture. However, what sets this dish apart is the addition of chopped chicken livers to the nokedli batter. The infusion of liver imparts a rich, savory depth to the noodles.

Beyond the delicious taste and unique texture, the inclusion of chicken liver in this pasta dish also offers several health benefits. Chicken liver is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with essential nutrients such as vitamin A, iron, and vitamin B12. Incorporating chicken liver into your diet, as done in this Hungarian recipe, is a flavorful way to enjoy these nutritional benefits while savoring a delightful, comforting meal.

Ingredients:

• 500 g (~1 lb + 1 2/3 oz) chicken livers
• 300 g (~2 1/3 cups) flour
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp marjoram
• a small bunch of parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp lard
• 100 g (~3 1/2 oz) semi-hard cheese, grated

Soak the chicken livers in cold water for an hour. Remove sinews and any greenish or yellow parts, then grind the livers by using a meat grinder, a food processor or an immerson blender. Place chopped liver in a bowl, add flour, eggs and half of the finely chopped parsley leaves. Season with salt, black pepper and marjoram, and mix until well combined.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile in an oven-safe frying pan heat lard and sauté finely chopped onions and garlic until translucent. Once it’s done, turn off the heat.

Preheat the oven to 220°C / 428°F.

Push the liver batter through a nokedli maker into the boiling water, and cook the noodles for 2-3 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer the dumplings into the frying pan to combine them with the sautéed onions. Over medium-high heat fry the noodles for 2-3 minutes, add the rest of the parsley, adjust salt and pepper. Scatter grated cheese over the top of the noodles and put the pan in the oven to bake it for 10 minutes until the cheese melts. (If you don’t have any oven-safe skillet, transfer the fried noodles in a greased baking pan, scatter grated cheese over them and slide into the oven.) Serve hot with green salad.