Most American households have biscuits or rolls with dinner, but my family never really had that as a custom. Of course we did have bread available for those who wanted it, but I was never really a bread-with-my-meal person. I do, however, love the Hungarian tradition of eating pogácsa, which are like a cross between biscuits and savory scones. In Hungary, pogácsa are enjoyed as an appetizer or paired with beer or a glass of wine. I highly recommend pairing them with cocktails, like the dry or bitters-based ones made with gin, whiskey, or vodka. It's the perfect way to start a holiday party!
Pogácsa are typically made of short dough or sometimes yeast dough. The name is rooted in the Latin
panis focacius, which means bread baked on a hearth. The breads, Italian focaccia and French fougasse also share the same Latin root. Slovakia and Turkey have recipes for pogácsa that are similar to the Hungarian variety. In my opinion pogácsa are the most flavorful, because they're made with pork crackling, bacon fat, or lard. Although some recipes are made with butter and grated cheese. These are some of the best you will ever taste. My mom's recipe, made with pork crackling, was what I grew up on. Now I continue the tradition with my own rendition for the bar-snack favorite.
The thing with biscuits and their cousins, scones, is that they are super easy to make in mere minutes. You're all set as long as you have some fat on hand. I always have leftover bacon fat from Saturday morning breakfasts. Pogácsa can be flavored with many different spices, such as ground caraway or hot paprika to give them some extra kick. I like to flavor mine with lots of pepper. As a lover of all things peppery, I keep a jar of each kind of peppercorn on my spice rack. For a colorful holiday rendition, I use pink and green peppercorns, which have more of a fruity flavor than black peppercorns. Lots of salt is also a must, plus a sprinkling of course salt just before the biscuits go in the oven isn't a bad idea either.
Pink and Green Peppercorn Biscuits (Pogácsa)
Note: The crosshatch design on top is traditional. But it isn't just for looks: It helps hold in the coarse salt.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons cracked pink peppercorns
1-1/2 teaspoons cracked green peppercorns
1 cup cold bacon fat or lard
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
coarse salt, for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cracked peppers in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the fat until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Fold in the sour cream.
Turn the mixture out onto a floured board and knead just until the dough comes together. Pat into a rectangle and roll to 1/2-inch thick.
Cut rounds using a 2-inch biscuit cutter and place an inch apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps and cut out remaining rounds. Using a sharp knife or razor blade, draw crosshatches on the biscuit tops. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Yield: 30 biscuits.
