Curl up with this rich, cheesy Hungarian pasta
Cheese, sour cream, bacon and pasta. What’s not to love?
Turos csusza is a cheesy Hungarian pasta dish my friend recently taught me to make. The dish is made by tossing noodles with crispy bacon, quark (a fresh cheese made of soured milk) and a thick sour cream called tejföl.
The latter two ingredients are harder to find in Canadian supermarkets, so most home cooks in North American substitute cottage cheese and full-fat sour cream.
This is an easy, one-pot meal that got the seal of approval from restaurant critic Amy Pataki (who is Hungarian) and several kids who taste-tested it. But then, what’s not to like about noodles tossed with cheese and bacon? I also like to add a sprinkle of hot paprika at the end for a hint of spice.
To cut through the richness, I paired the dish with a pickled beet and carrot salad inspired by the pickled salads found at Eastern European restaurants. This version is tart with a bit of heat and is a perfect single serving — one small carrot and a beet.
Turos Csusza With Quick Pickled Beets and Carrot Salad 3 Star Tested For turos csusza: 2 cups (500 mL) dried, broad egg
noodles 1 slice thick-cut smoked bacon, diced 2 tbsp (30 mL) full-fat sour cream 2 tbsp (30 mL) full-fat cottage cheese Kosher salt, to taste Hungarian paprika, for garnish (optional) In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, bring salted water to a rapid boil. Turn heat down to a gentle boil and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta. Set aside.
Wipe saucepan and return to stove. Over medium-high heat, sauté bacon until crispy and browned. Remove pan from heat. Return cooked pasta to pot. Stir. Add sour cream and cottage cheese, using residual heat from pan to melt everything and loosen pasta. Stir until mixed. Taste. Add salt to taste. Transfer to serving plate and garnish with paprika, if using. Serve immediately.
Makes 1 serving. For beet and carrot salad: 1/4 cup (60 mL) white vinegar 1/4 tsp (1 mL) kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/4 tsp (1 mL) granulated sugar 1/4 tsp (1 mL) chili flakes 1 small beet, peeled and thinly sliced 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced In a shallow mixing bowl, whisk vinegar, salt, sugar and chili flakes. Add beets and carrots and toss until everything is coated. Let sit for 15 minutes or longer. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Drain and serve immediately.
Makes 1 serving. karonliu@thestar.ca