Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (Töltött Paprika)

 Ingredients

6 large Hungarian wax peppers or mild yellow peppers

500 g (1.1 lb) ground pork or a mixture of pork and beef

100 g (½ cup) uncooked rice

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Tomato Sauce

700 ml (3 cups) tomato passata or crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

200 ml (¾ cup) water

Instructions

Prepare the filling: Mix the ground meat, uncooked rice, onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley in a bowl.

Prepare the peppers: Wash the peppers and carefully remove the stems and seeds.

Stuff the peppers: Fill each pepper with the meat and rice mixture, leaving a little room because the rice will expand.

Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the tomato paste, paprika, crushed tomatoes, sugar, water, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

Cook: Place the stuffed peppers gently into the tomato sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 45–55 minutes, until the meat and rice are fully cooked.

Serve: Spoon plenty of tomato sauce over the peppers. Traditionally, they can be served with boiled potatoes and fresh parsley.

Hungarian tip: Use sweet Hungarian paprika for the

classic flavor and aroma.