Galushka (not baking, just yummy)

Galushka is a mixture of cottage cheese, potato dumplings, and bacon. Everyone I have ever served this to has said, "eeeewww, gross!" when I described it, and then when they tasted it, become an immediate convert. It is strangely delicious, a delight of textures, and easily adapted to be wheat-free, I've found.

My Italian grandmother made galushka for my Hungarian grandfather; I understand it's a Hungarian dish, though when I've looked it up on the Internet, it has never been exactly what my family called galushka. The my mom made it for our family growing up, having learned the recipe from her mother-in-law. And now my family loves it, too.

Galushka
1 large russet potato
about 4 tsp potato starch
about 2 tsp tapioca flour
(if you were eating wheat, it would be about 2 T white flour)
salt & pepper
1 32-oz container cottage cheese
2 slices crisp-cooked bacon

Peel the potato and grate it on the small side of a box grater, or do what I do: shred it in the food processor, then pulse it with the blade till it's small but not pureed. Put the potato onto a paper towel and fold the towel closed, then wrap the paper towel in two or more dish towels and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. This step is essential! My mom even wrings it out till it drips. Unwrap the potato and put it in a bowl and add the flours and a generous amount of salt and pepper. My rule is to add what I think should be enough and then add a little more. Mix it all together, and then using your hands squeeze it together. You have enough starch in there if it forms balls when you squeeze it together and doesn't feel wet. Make the dumplings by squeezing about a teaspoon of the potato mixture in the palm of your hand. it should hold together. Make a plateful and then dump them one at a time into gently boiling salted water, only as many as make one layer in the bottom of the pan. Boil them for around 5 minutes-- they are done about 2 minutes after they float. You can take one out and cut it in half and try it to see if it's done. It should be chewy but not at all crunchy, but if you cook them too long they get soggy. If they fall apart in the water, your potato was too wet and/or you didn't add enough starch.

Drain the dumplings and immediately mix them into the cottage cheese. Crumble the bacon and mix that in, too, and you're done. It's best right away when it's lukewarm and the bacon is still crunchy. Beware of adding too much bacon- you just need enough to give flavor and crunch without overpowering the dumplings and cheese. Yum! I took a photo when I made it today, hopefully I'll post it soon.