Old school

You know those dishes that just taste good? I'm not talking about duck confit or some fancy terrine, more like butter on warm bread, or a good grilled cheese sandwich. This is that kind of dish. It was served to me by my man's mama. Presenting: Turos teszta!
Very simple: cooked egg noodles are quickly fried in a pan with a bit of fat (butter, oil, or rendered bacon fat). They get a bit crispy, and a bit over cooked, but that's okay here. Into the noodles goes a generous toss of turo, a Hungarian cheese that resembles crumbly farmer's cheese. (I have found decent farmer's cheese at Whole Foods, but it is a bit liquid; best to strain it overnight so that it is drier and more crumbly. Alternatively, check out an Eastern European grocer.)

But, the pièce de résistance is the topping. There exists in Hungary a magical ingredient known as szalonna, or "meatless bacon." This is, as the name suggests, bacon that is more fat than meat. Here, we call it fatback which is not nearly as sexy-sounding as szzzzzzah-lohhhhhhh-nahhhhhh, but oh well! Cut into lardons or small cubes and rendered down, the resulting liquid is the stuff of dreams and one of the reasons why sadly I will never muster the strength to go vegetarian.The crunchy bits of fat are also a great textural addition to the noodles and cheese. Anyway, this is served in a small dish on the side so everyone can drizzle a bit on top.

On one trip, I was actually served a vegetarian variation of this dish that was also great. (Vegetarians in Hungary, mythical creatures indeed) Just swap out the turo or farmer's cheese for goat cheese and add a generous handful of chopped dill. No meatless bacon.

Mmmmmm. This has me thinking about how great fried noodles are in general. What is your favorite noodle dish, fried or otherwise?