Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (Töltött Paprika)

 Ingredients

6–8 Hungarian wax or sweet 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 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the Paprika-Tomato Sauce

500 ml (2 cups) tomato passata or crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

250 ml (1 cup) water or broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon sugar, optional

Instructions

Prepare the peppers: Wash the peppers, cut off the tops, and remove the seeds.

Make the filling: Mix the ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley until well combined.

Stuff the peppers: Fill each pepper with the meat mixture, leaving a little room at the top for the rice to expand.

Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large pot. Stir in the flour and cook briefly. Remove from the heat and mix in the Hungarian paprika. Add the tomato passata and water gradually, stirring well.

Cook: Place the stuffed peppers into the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 45–55 minutes, until the meat and rice are completely cooked.

Finish: Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a little sugar if the tomato sauce is too acidic.

Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm with crusty bread or boiled potatoes.

Hungarian tip: Use good-quality sweet Hungarian paprika—it gives the dish its chara

cteristic color and flavor.