Deconstructed Pierogi

I've been craving comfort food lately - had you noticed? I mean, the homemade pasta, the ultra-meaty and rich bolognese, the braised onions to go in my stew.  Yeah.  Comfort city, kids.

And here's another example of the sort of food that makes me wanna curl up under a Snuggie (yeah, I said Snuggie) with a bowl and dive on in.  A really big bowl.

Ever since I was little my mom has made this dish - what's better, it's something her mother made.  I love the idea of carrying on tradition like that.  Until I started making my own pierogi, the ingredients seemed sort of disjointed to me - I mean, who combines macaroni, cottage cheese and sauteed onions? Um, Polish people who make pierogi, that's who.  I had the big revelatory moment while making a batch.  One of my favorite meals, one I ask my mom to make on my birthday, is merely deconstructed pierogi.  And boy, is it comforting.  I could eat it every day.

Seriously.  It's ridiculous.

I added a little touch of my own, by the way.  The crumbled bacon lends a whole new level of texture and flavor.  Of course you don't have to add it - I just happened to have a couple of pieces left over from breakfast the day I made this! 

Deconstructed Pierogi

1/2 pound marcaroni

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup cottage cheese

1-2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain.  Return to pot.

In saute pan, melt butter.  Add diced onions and cook over medium heat until softened and browned.  Add to pot of cooked macaroni, along with cottage cheese, salt and pepper.  Stir well to combine.

Serve with bits of crumbled bacon on top.

Stupid easy, isn't it? But the flavors meld so well - I promise you, you can't go wrong with this.  It grosses my husband out when I eat it, but he just doesn't know what he's missing.

What's your favorite comfort food?

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