Bryndzové halušky

Step 1: Put a large pan of water on to boil with 1 tbsp salt for the cooking water. Meanwhile, cook 2 onions with 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, stirring now and then, for 15–20 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Lift onto kitchen paper.

Step 2: Mash 10 ½ oz bryndza sheep's cheese with 3 tbsp soured cream in a warm bowl until spreadable.

Step 3: Finely grate 1 ¾ lb floury potatoes (the small holes of a box grater) into a bowl. Straight away beat in 1 egg, 1 tsp salt and enough 9 oz plain flour to make a thick, sticky batter that drops slowly from a spoon.

Step 4: Put a halušky board or a colander with large holes over the boiling water and press the dough through in batches with a scraper. Or spread some on a chopping board and flick little nuggets into the water with a knife.

Step 5: Cook each batch until the dumplings float, then 1 minute more, about 3 minutes in all. Lift out with a slotted spoon, shake off the water and toss in a pan with ⅔ oz butter so they don't stick.

Step 6: While the halušky are steaming hot, fold them through the bryndza until every dumpling is coated and the cheese turns creamy. Cold halušky won't melt the cheese, so a common mistake is cooking everything first and mixing at the end.

Step 7: Pile onto warm plates, top with the fried onions and 2 tbsp chives. In Slovakia a glass of buttermilk or kefir goes alongside.