Eat Your Noodles Like The Polish By Adding Cottage Cheese

While cheese and pasta is a common pairing in many households around the world, chefs in Poland and throughout Eastern Europe have long put their own twist on the combination by adding cottage cheese to their recipes. Also known as lazy pierogies, filling servings of noodles and cottage cheese can be spooned out as a side dish or presented as a comforting standalone meal. 

Traditional recipes serve up either potato dumplings (gnocchi style) or homemade noodles in a cheesy, creamy sauce, but we are here to encourage you to browse your kitchen cupboards for whatever shape of pasta you have at home. Egg noodles, rotini, conchiglie, or farfalle can all serve as sturdy vehicles for this satisfying cheesy sauce. Once you've prepared your chosen type of noodles to a very al dente texture, drain and stir in a mixture of cottage cheese, sour cream, buttery onions, and salt and pepper to taste. Smaller curds can help you build creamy dishes without distracting from the overall texture of the pasta. Cook this mixture until everything is melded, and customize your pasta with chicken broth, bacon bits, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, crispy fried onions, or breadcrumbs.

Whipping up this kind of cottage-cheese enhanced plate of noodles or dumplings won't take longer than 20 minutes, so when cravings strike for creamy, cheesy noodles you won't be forced to wait a long time to start eating. Should culinary creativity strike while you're in the kitchen, you can also use this reliable recipe to inspire a tasty casserole dish, or simply revert to this cheesy option as an alternative to basic mac and cheese.

Some chefs add sauerkraut to their pasta or the smoked sausage known as kielbasa to turn recipes into a hearty meal that will leave no stomach rumbling. For herby options, freshen up your plates with dill, parsley, basil, or oregano. This gratifying dish won't need much to round out a proper meal, but you can offer servings alongside a fresh summer salad with lemon vinaigrette or crusty pieces of garlic bread to mop up every last drop of sauce.