Pork Crackling Biscuits (Tepertős Pogácsa)
Tepertős pogácsa Say it: TEH-per-tursh POH-gah-chah
Pogácsa is Hungary's beloved savoury biscuit, and the tepertős version is the richest of them all. Soft, layered dough made with lard and sour cream is studded with finely chopped pork crackling, rolled, folded and cut into small rounds. Each one is scored on top — the traditional crosshatch that lets the layers fan open — then brushed with egg and baked until deep gold. They are crisp at the base, tender inside and deeply savoury, served warm with drinks, soup or a bowl of goulash.
Pork Crackling Biscuits (Tepertős Pogácsa)
Tepertős pogácsa
Pronounced TEH-per-tursh POH-gah-chah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough (makes about 30 biscuits)
Filling and finish
Method
Stir the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm milk and leave for 10 minutes until a foamy cap forms on the surface.
Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, add the softened lard and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream, egg yolks and the foamy yeast milk, then knead into a soft, slightly sticky dough, about 5 minutes by hand.
Knead in the chopped cracklings and black pepper until the dough is evenly speckled with pink and white pieces, 1–2 minutes more.
Cover the bowl and leave in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until the dough has nearly doubled and feels airy.
Turn out onto a floured surface, roll to about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick and fold in thirds like a letter. Cover and rest 15 minutes, then repeat the rolling and folding twice more — this is what makes the layers.
Roll the dough a final time to 2/3 inch (1.5–2 cm) thick. Cut rounds with a 1 3/4-inch (4.5 cm) cutter dipped in flour, pressing straight down without twisting; gather and re-roll the scraps once.
Set the rounds 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely and let them rise for 20–25 minutes while the oven heats to 390°F (200°C).
Brush the tops with the beaten egg, score a shallow crosshatch or a few radial cuts with a sharp knife, and scatter over the caraway seeds if using.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, until deep golden brown and the bases sound hollow when tapped. Slide onto a rack and serve slightly warm.
Regional variant: Cheese pogácsa (Sajtos pogácsa)
Replace the cracklings with 1 1/2 cups (150 g) coarsely grated semi-hard cheese such as trappista, Gouda or Emmental, and knead half of it into the dough with a pinch of black pepper. After glazing, scatter the remaining cheese over the scored tops and bake as above; the cheese melts into a crisp, golden crust.
Cook's notes
- Keep everything cool: if the dough starts to feel greasy or slippery while folding, chill it for 15 minutes before carrying on.
- Press the cutter straight down and lift — twisting seals the edges and the biscuits rise lopsided.
- Chop the cracklings quite fine; large pieces tear the dough and poke through the surface while baking.
Serve with
Warm from the oven with a bowl of goulash or soup, or as a bar snack with a glass of dry white wine or fröccs.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 2 days in an airtight tin, or freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months; refresh at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.
