Halušky are made by mixing grated raw potato with flour, salt and a little water until you have a thick batter. The cook then drops small lumps of the batter straight into a pot of boiling water, usually by pushing the batter through a special grater. The dumplings float to the top when they are done, in about three minutes.
The cheese on top is called bryndza. It is made from sheep's milk and has a soft, spreadable texture - a bit like cream cheese - with a salty tangy flavour. Slovak shepherds in the mountains have been making bryndza for hundreds of years. It is so important that Slovakia has a law saying only sheep cheese made in a certain traditional way can use the name.
The whole dish comes together in one bowl: hot dumplings, soft cheese melting into them from the heat, salty crispy bacon scattered on top. Many Slovak families finish it with a glass of sour milk (žinčica), which sounds odd but is actually refreshing - a bit like buttermilk.
Every region of Slovakia argues about the right way to make halušky. Some prefer thicker dumplings, some thinner. Some add extra herbs. Visitors to Slovakia often try to make their own back home, but most agree: a real bowl tastes best at a small mountain restaurant in the Tatras, after a long hike.