Hoppel poppel facts for kids

Hoppel poppel is a tasty egg and potato dish. It's like a casserole made from leftover food. People often make it to avoid wasting food. This dish is popular in Germany and Austria. You can also find it in the Midwestern United States, especially in Minnesota.

The main ingredients for the casserole are home fries (fried potatoes), ham or salami, onions, and eggs. Sometimes, people add melted cheese on top. You can also add other things like green peppers or mushrooms. Many different meats can be used, such as bacon, ham, or salami.

There is also another type of Hoppel poppel. It is a drink made with milk and egg yolks.

What is Hoppel Poppel?

This dish usually has potatoes, onions, meat, and scrambled eggs. But you can make it more special! Some recipes add green peppers, melted cheese, and mushrooms. For the meat, you can use ham, bacon, sausage, or even beef salami.

Some restaurants, like Jewish delicatessens, served Hoppel poppel. They often made it with all-beef salami.

How to Make Hoppel Poppel

Making Hoppel poppel is a great way to use up leftovers. The basic idea is to cook potatoes, meat, and onions, then mix them with eggs.

Cooking with Bacon

First, you cook bacon in a pan until it's crispy. Then, you take out the bacon and cook sliced onions in the bacon fat until they are golden. After that, you add butter and the potatoes to the pan. You season the potatoes with salt and pepper and cook them until they are brown. Finally, you put the bacon and onions back in the pan. You pour in whisked eggs and cook everything until the eggs are set.

Cooking with Beef Salami

If you don't eat pork, you can make Hoppel poppel with beef salami. First, you lightly boil the potatoes, then slice and fry them in vegetable oil. Next, you add butter, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and beef salami to the pan. You whisk eggs with milk and fresh parsley, then gently scramble them in the skillet with the other ingredients. When the eggs start to cook, you can add cheese on top. Cover the pan and cook for a few more minutes until the cheese melts and the eggs are fully cooked.

Using Leftover Boiled Beef

Hoppel poppel is also great with leftover boiled beef. You start by cooking the boiled beef and onions in butter, sometimes with a little bacon. Once the bacon is cooked, you add whisked eggs. You cook the eggs like an omelette with the beef and onions.

Making it with Ham

For a ham version, you pan-fry cubed potatoes and onions in butter until the potatoes are brown. Then, you add the ham to the pan. You whisk eggs with a little Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. You pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook it gently, like an omelette, with fresh parsley. When the omelette is set, you can top it with grated cheese. Then, you can put it under a broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Images for kids

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  Hoppel poppel, a delicious egg and potato dish.