Bird's milk – madàrtej

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 1 liter of milk
• 4 m.-sized eggs
• 3 tbsp sugar, white
• 3 packets of vanilla sugar
• 1 pinch of vanilla pulp

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Hungarian milk soup with egg white dumplings

Mix 1 liter of milk with 1 tablespoon of sugar and heat in a large pan until the milk has boiled, then continue to simmer gently. While the milk is coming up to temperature, separate the 4 eggs and beat the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of sugar until stiff peaks form. When the milk is boiling, use 2 tablespoons to scoop out balls of beaten egg whites and drop them into the milk. Let the balls sit in the milk for about 5 minutes, then turn them over and let them sit for another 5 minutes. After 10 minutes, carefully remove the balls from the milk with a spoon and set aside. Whisk the 4 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Now, slowly add the hot milk to the egg yolks, a tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly, until about half the milk is mixed with the eggs. Once half the milk has been mixed in, return the mixture to the pan, season with the 3 packets of vanilla sugar and a pinch of vanilla seeds, and bring everything to a gentle boil. Once the milk has boiled, turn off the stove and add the dumplings you set aside back to the milk. This completes the “madàrtej.” It can be enjoyed hot or cold. We prefer it cold. It’s an old recipe from my Hungarian grandmother, and it always takes me back to my childhood.