Hungarian
Túrós csusza
A comforting Hungarian noodle dish with torn egg pasta, crumbly túró, cool tejföl, and crisp smoked bacon cracklings. The hot noodles are coated in rendered bacon fat, which gives the dish its traditional savory depth.
Ingredients
- Csuszatészta or wide Hungarian egg noodle squares200 g
- Smoked bacon or füstölt szalonna, diced80 g
- Túró, crumbled250 g
- Hungarian sour cream or tejföl150 g
- Saltto taste
- Freshly ground black pepperoptional, to taste
Method
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the csuszatészta.
- Put the diced smoked bacon in a cold skillet and cook over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the pieces are golden and crisp.
- Lift the crisp bacon cracklings out with a slotted spoon and set them aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- Cook the csuszatészta in the boiling water until tender but not mushy, then drain it well.
- Add the drained hot noodles to the skillet with the bacon fat and toss over low heat until glossy and lightly coated.
- Stir in about two-thirds of the crumbled túró and half of the tejföl, warming gently just until combined; do not boil.
- Taste and add salt if needed, remembering that the bacon is salty.
- Serve immediately, topped with the remaining túró, the remaining tejföl, and the crisp bacon cracklings.
- Finish with a little black pepper if desired.
Common questions
What can I substitute for csuszatészta if I can’t find it?
Use wide egg noodles, ribbon noodles, or even broken lasagna sheets cut into squares. Choose a noodle with a flat, broad shape so it catches the bacon fat and holds the túró and tejföl well.
How do I time the bacon, noodles, and cheese so nothing gets overcooked?
Cook the bacon first, then boil the noodles while the fat renders. Drain the noodles well, toss them in the bacon fat, and add túró and tejföl only at the end over low heat so they stay creamy, not grainy.
What are the most common mistakes when making túrós csusza?
The biggest mistakes are overcooking the pasta, boiling the túró and tejföl, and forgetting to drain the noodles well. Also, don’t oversalt early—the bacon and cheese already bring plenty of salt.
Can I store leftovers, and how should I reheat them?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave with a spoonful of tejföl or a little water, just until warm. Avoid high heat so the cheese doesn’t dry out.
What should I serve with túrós csusza, and can I make it more traditional?
Serve it immediately as a main dish, with extra tejföl and black pepper on top. For a more traditional feel, keep the bacon crisp and finish with plenty of cracklings; a simple cucumber salad on the side also works well.