Hungarian Cabbage Noodles (Kaposztas Taszta)

This humble peasant dish, a staple in the Hungarian Jewish kitchen, traditionally marries sauteed cabbage with homemade noodles (taszta refers to the noodle dough while kaposztas means cabbage). My noodle dough was not homemade, but my cabbage was home grown. Actually I "borrowed" the cabbage from Larry and Edie's garden. You would not believe the size of the heads. I love when they are gone and I go help myself. More kale, green onions, lettuce and kohlrabi for me.

Although this recipe looks incredibly simple, the mingled flavors of the browned cabbage and the egg noodles are surprisingly complex. Be sure not to overcrowd the skillet when cooking the cabbage, the result will be steamed cabbage rather than browned. To make this dish a bit richer, I added another tablespoon butter.

This is great served with pot roast. However, in the warmer months when I prefer no meat I serve it with cornbread, sliced tomatoes and green onions from the garden.

Serves 4 as a side dish
print recipe

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or rendered bacon fat
1/2 head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin
Salt
1 (16-ounce) bag wide egg noodles
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Pepper freshly ground

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot for the noodles.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the cabbage, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, tossing frequently, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the cooked cabbage to a plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and cabbage.

3. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the noodles to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the noodles and transfer back to the pot. Add the reserved cabbage and butter, toss to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.