Bryndzové Halušky

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Country of Origin: Slovakia

Description

Slovakia's national dish: soft grated potato dumplings tossed hot with tangy bryndza sheep's milk cheese and topped with crispy bacon lardons.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served piping hot in bowls, traditionally paired with a mug of sour milk or buttermilk.

Ingredients

• 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp salt

• 7 oz Bryndza cheese (or soft tangy sheep/goat cheese blend)

• 2 tbsp sour cream

• 6 oz slab bacon or pork belly, diced into lardons

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Grate Potatoes: Fine-grate raw potatoes into a bowl. Stir in egg, salt, and flour to form a thick sticky dough batter.

2. Fry Bacon: Cook diced bacon lardons in a skillet over medium heat until crispy; keep bacon and fat warm.

3. Boil Dumplings: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Press potato batter through a halušky grater (or drop tiny spoonfuls) into boiling water.

4. Cook: Boil 3–5 minutes until dumplings float to top. Drain dumplings, saving 2 tbsp water.

5. Mix & Serve: Toss hot dumplings immediately with bryndza cheese, sour cream, and reserved cooking water until cheese melts into a sauce. Top with crispy bacon lardons and fat.

Optional

• Chives: Sprinkle fresh chives on top for green color.

Cooking Tips

• Do Not Rinse: Never rinse cooked potato dumplings in cold water; the surface starch is essential to melt cheese into sauce.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings)

• Calories: ~510 kcal

• Total Fat: 26g

• Saturated Fat: 11g

• Cholesterol: 95mg

• Sodium: 740mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 48g

• Dietary Fiber: 3g

• Sugars: 2g

• Protein: 20g