Pumpkin pompos with garlic, sour cream and bacon
For the dough, measure the flour and water into a bowl and mix, then let it rest for a while. Add the yeast, work it in, finally add salt, knead the dough thoroughly and let it rise until doubled in size in 40 minutes.
- After the rising time has passed, line a 20x30 cm baking tray with baking paper and drizzle a little oil on it. Place the risen dough in the tray and stretch it out to the edges.
- Mix the sour cream with the crushed garlic, salt, and pepper, then pour over the bread flame. Add the sliced sausage, diced bread bacon and Kolozsvár, sliced purple onion, and sharp-sharp garlic.
- You can also put it in the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 30 minutes, and when the edges of the dough are nicely browned, it's done.
- If you want to make it a little extra, mix in a little more sour cream, and you can add a little extra after baking.
Preparation
1 hour
Leavening
40 minutes
Baking
30 minutes
In the case of the bacon pumpkin pompos, it is crucial to have a short autolysis, or resting, phase after the initial mixture of flour and water, because this is when the gluten structure begins to develop most beautifully. It is worth consciously adding salt to the dough at the very end of kneading, as salt can directly inhibit the function of the yeast if they meet too early. When you stretch the soft dough to the edges in the pan, work gently, with your fingertips, from the center outwards, so as not to completely squeeze out the valuable gas bubbles created during the rising process.
Preparation
This brutally juicy and rich bacon pumpkin pompos is one of the greatest Hungarian comfort foods, and will have everyone lining up for it at family or friends' gatherings. The spicy fat oozing from the fried bacon and the spicy, hot paprika brilliantly permeate the top layer of the dough during baking.
Useful tips:
- The ideal baking pan: for a perfect pumpkin bake, it's best to choose a sturdy, high-walled baking pan, because the juicy sour cream base and the fat that melts from the bacon won't drip onto the bottom of the oven during the thirty-minute baking time.
- Storage and reheating: if you have any leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator and reheat them in the oven or air fryer the next day, as microwaving will make the crispy yeast dough completely soft and rubbery.
- Sustainability and regional tip: buy Cluj-Napoca and bread bacon at the nearest small farmers' market, and pay attention to seasonality when it comes to purple onions and peppers, as local, traditionally smoked ingredients give the dish its true, authentic character.
- Alternative ingredients: if you'd like to make the dish a little lighter, you can replace some of the sour cream with thick Greek yogurt, and you can mix some of the dough with whole wheat flour or even oatmeal for a higher fiber content.
