Csipetke, Hungarian Pinched Noodles, are an easy to make egg noodle at home.
Simply pinch small pieces off a ball of dough, drop them into salted boiling water, and cook until al dente.
You can add Hungarian Pinched Noodles to soups and stews, serve them as a side dish to Chicken Paprikash or enjoy them all on their own with a dollop of sour cream, crumbled bacon and parsley.
They’re a quick & easy comfort food we know you’ll love!
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What Is Csipetke?
Hungarian csipetke is a cross between a noodle and a pasta dumpling.
They can be cooked directly in soup or stew broth, or in salted water, and are a great accompaniment for beef goulash or any dish rich with pan juices or gravy. We love to prepare homemade csipetke as a side dish to Hungary’s beloved Chicken Paprikash.
Csipetke is one of the fastest styles of homemade egg noodles to prepare. The name comes from the way they are formed. Pinches of dough, about the size of a penny, are rolled into a ball, flattened, and dropped into boiling water, cooked until tender then scooped out and tossed in melted butter to ensure they don’t stick together.
While csipetke might look like nokedli, the Hungarian equivalent of German spaetzle, nokedli begin with a batter, which is forced through a colander, sieve, or grater. Csipetke is made with a firm dough that can be rolled between the fingers.
Ever wanted to make homemade noodles or pasta at home but have been intimidated by the process? Try making this csipetke recipe and you’ll never by store bought noodles again!
Other Dumpling & Noodle Recipes You Might Enjoy…
- Schwäbische Käsespätzle German Cheese Noodles
- Speckknödel German Bread Bacon Dumplings
- Semmelknödel German Bread Dumplings
- Kartoffelknödel German Potato Dumplings
- Italian Ricotta DumplingsFlädlesuppe German Pancake Soup
Travel to Hungary by Cooking Csipetke at Home
I love traveling to Europe!
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland,Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
I visited Hungary on my first trip to Europe. I backpacked to 18 European countries in the summer of my third year of university. I was living on a shoestring, sleeping in friendly hostels and eating my way from the stunning sunsets of the Portuguese Algarve to scenic fjords on the west coast of Norway.
I spent 4 days exploring Budapest, the Hungarian capital. The two scenic cities (Buda and Pest) straddle the Danube River and offer visiting foodies gorgeous architecture, scenic views, bustling markets and friendly and affordable restaurants.
No trip to the capital is complete without a visit to the Budapest Central Market. Paprikas Csirke lovers will find endless market stalls selling strings of dried red peppers that dangle over your head like Christmas garlands.
You’ll find many food vendors serving a variety of stews and soups, many of which have pinched noodles, known as csipetke, floating at the top.
Once home from a Hungarian holiday celebrate the flavours of your trip with friends and family by preparing this easy pinched noodle recipe.
Where To Eat Hungarian Pinched Noodles
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Eastern European restaurant that serves traditional Csipetke Noodles.
Haven’t traveled to Europe before? It may be helpful to first sample Pinched Noodles at a local Hungarian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can determine the ideal size of each noodle and what stews, soups or saucy dishes to serve with them.
In Toronto, popular Eastern European restaurants in Yorkville, King West and Ossington that may serve authentic Csipetke include Cafe Polonez, Wvrst, Country Style Hungarian, Tennessee Tavern, Amber European and Chopin.
My Family Loves Hungarian Csirke
I love making noodles and dumplings at home.
There truly is nothing more satisfying than chewing through tiny al dente dumplings, floating in a rich stew or steaming soup. These vegetarian pinched noodles can be enjoyed on their own or served as a simple side dish topped with sour cream, crumbled bacon and parsley.
I first made these Hungarian Pinched Noodles for my family during a cold snowy day in February. I prepared the noodles to compliment a skillet bubbling to the brim with creamy Chicken Paprikash. The duo were an instant hit!
I knew my family would love Hungarian pinched noodles as they enjoy all kinds of pasta, rich sour cream and crispy bacon.
Csipetke Noodles Recipe Cooking Tips
This traditional Hungarian Pinched Noodles recipe is quick and easy to make at home.
- We suggest using a large pot or dutch oven to boil Csipetke.
- Be sure to generously salt the boiling water to ensure the noodles are not bland.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the noodles from the boiling water.
- We toss the cooked noodles in butter to ensure they don’t stick together but you can use olive oil or canola oil if you prefer.
What To Serve with Homemade Csipetke
There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up to a steaming plate homemade noodles or dumplings!
Hungarian Csipetke are very versatile, which is why we love making them so much!
You can drop the pinched noodles into your favourite meat stew or soup. Enjoy the buttered pinched noodles as a simple side dish at a roast beef or turkey dinner. Make a quick lunch by topping a bowl of csipetke with sour cream, bacon and parsley.
You May Also Enjoy These German & Eastern European Recipes…
- Ogorkowa Zupa Creamy Polish Dill Pickle Soup
- Traditional Polish Sour Rye Zurek Soup
- Mizeria Creamy Polish Cucumber Salad
- How To Make Homemade Pierogies
- Nakladany Hermelin Czech Marinated Camembert Cheese
- Flädlesuppe German Pancake Soup
- German Pork Rouladen with Bacon, Apple & Pickles
- Maulwurfkuchen German Mole Cake
How To Make Traditional Hungarian Csipetke Pinched Noodles
Csipetke Hungarian Pinched Noodles
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 130 g All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tbsp Melted Butter
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Crumbled Bacon
Instructions
- Put the flour, salt and egg in a bowl. Stir to combine and make a dough. Add a little water and knead until the dough is smooth and free from lumps. Wrap in a clear plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, remove from the fridge and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Roll to a 1/4 inch thickness then pinch pieces off, roughly 3/4 inch in size.
- Have a large pan of boiling water ready and drop the dough pieces in, a few at a time. Cook until they are soft and have risen to the top, about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and toss in melted butter. Serve dumplings with sour cream and crumbled bacon.
Nutrition
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