Everyone has their favourite dishes their mom would make. Typically mine are ones we don’t have that often because there’s almost something sacred about making them! But I’m trying to change that so I can share them with my own family.
One of these favourite dishes is a beef Hungarian Goulash recipe. A traditional goulash is like a brothy soup with beef or pork, potatoes and some other vegetables. This version is slightly thicker and resembles more of a stew. I’ve tried a few different goulash recipes, and not one of them beats my mom’s! She always served it with egg noodles, it’s just so delicious!
In fact, the first major meal The Man had over at my parents – I think even before we were courting! – was Hungarian Goulash. I can remember it quite well!
Anyway, memories aside, this is a recipe you’ll want to try. It’s pretty easy to put together and is cooked 1 – 1.5 hours in advance (on a low heat) in the oven.
Beef Hungarian Goulash
- 1 1/2 pounds beef, cubed
- 2 onions, diced
- 1-2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 -2 tablespoons garlic
- 1-2 tablespoons chilli peppers (optional – I leave out)
- 2-3 beef bouillon cubes (or enough beef broth to cover)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce or 1 diced tomato or 1 small can diced tomatoes
- red wine
- water (or beef broth) to cover
- 1 cup sour cream
In a heavy pan, brown the meat in hot oil. Remove meat from the pan and add the onions. Saute until soft.
Add the spices, tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes) and bouillon cubes (or if using beef broth, just the spices and tomatoes).
Pour sauce over the meat in a casserole dish. Add some red wine (if using) and water (or beef broth) to cover the meat in the dish.
Cook at 300 degrees F for 1 – 1.5 hours.
When finished, stir in 1/2 – 1 cup sour cream. Serve over egg noodles.
Homemade Egg Noodles
(recipe from The Kitchn – if you need more instruction for making pasta, check out their full post! It’s a good one!)
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
Measure flour and salt into a medium bowl and mix. Make a well in the center and crack the eggs into the well.
Using a fork, gently begin to mix the eggs. Slowly start to incorporate the flour into the eggs – don’t rush it!
Continue slowly adding the flour to the eggs until the dough starts to form together. At this point, dump the dough onto the counter and start kneading. You might need to add more flour so it’s not too sticky (but I never have).
Keep kneading the dough, cutting into it to check for air bubbles. The dough is kneaded when it’s elastic and very few air bubbles are inside.
Let the dough rest in a clean, oiled bowl, for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces and sprinkle with flour. Cover with a towel to keep from drying out.
Take each piece and flatten it into a disc. Feed the disc into your pasta roller on the thickest setting. Make sure the dough is well-floured so it doesn’t stick to the rollers!
Fold the dough into thirds, like an envelope, and feed it through again. Repeat this a couple times. After the last time, start moving the roller setting up – roll the dough out two times at each setting, up to a 5 or 6 (depending on how thin you want the dough. If the sheets start getting too long, just cut them).
Place the rolled sheets on a well-floured pan, making sure to put plenty of flour between each layer (or they will stick!). Continue until all the pasta is rolled.
Now take each sheet and put it through the noodle cutter. Toss the noodles in a little flour in the bowl to keep them from sticking until you’re ready to cook.
Boil a large pot of VERY salted water (you need the salt!). Add the noodles to the water, cook for about 5 minutes.
Drain the pasta and serve with the goulash.