Czech dumplings

Dumplings as side dish
One of the most popular side dish in Czech cuisine, dumplings, are also typical for Austrian or Bavarian cuisine, their smaller version, known as gnocchi, is also found in Italian, Hungarian or Slovenian cuisine and Slovakian halušky are their close relative.
In the past, dumplings were not only a side dish, but mainly in poorer areas they were served as main course, giving rise to regional specialties such as potato dumplings varieties known in South Bohemia as drbáky, in the Šumava Mountains (Bohemian Forest) as bosáky, or a sweet version served with poppy seed, prepared in Moravian Wallachia and called šulánky.
Nowadays, dumplings demonstrate unhealthy and rich-in-calories character of Czech cuisine. However, nutritional consultants do not criticize their high level of calories but rather warn against usage of white flour, emphasizing, as for all meals, proper balance of nutrients and reasonable servings. Therefore, if you do not place dumplings all around your plate and do not eat them daily with a large portion of sauce, there is no reason to avoid them.

Procedure

• Yeast bread dumplings

  Crumble yeast in a cup, add sugar, bit of lukewarm milk and let the yeast ferment. In a bowl, put flour, bread cut in small cubes and a pinch of salt, add the fermented mixture, the rest of milk and egg. Knead until having smooth dough, cover with a towel and put at a warm place to let rise. Shape the dough into two longer rolls and place them in salted boiling water. Cook 18 minutes, turning them round after first 9 minutes by means of a wooden spoon. Remove the dumplings, pierce with a fork (to allow water vapour to escape) and immediately cut into slices using a knife or a thread.  

   

  Carlsbad dumplings (recipe from the cookery book by Mrs. Sandtnerová)

  Stir butter with egg yolks (leaving egg whites aside) and salt, making smooth foam. Spoon by spoon, add milk and flour.

  Cut the bread into cubes and fry them on butter until they turn pink. Whip egg whites into foam. Add the bread into the dough and finally pour in the whipped foam.

  Brush the napkin with melted butter, pour in the dough, roll and tie its edges firmly with a string, making a firm dumpling. Cook in salted water for about an hour, turning it round approximately after 30 minutes.

  When ready, cut the dumpling with a thread. 
   

  Potato dumplings

  Boil the potatoes, let them cool down a bit and, while still warm, peel them. Grate the potatoes into a large bowl, add egg, roughly ground flour and semolina. Salt and knead in a smooth dough. Place on a board, knead and let sit for a while.

  Divide into 2‑4 parts (depending on the size of your pot, the smaller it is, the more parts you have to make). Roll each part into a loaf with flat ends. Carefully put the loaves into boiling salted water, after while, get them off the bottom of the pot, using wooden spoon. Cook for about 25 minutes.

  When ready, remove the dumplings from the water and while still warm, cut with a string or a thread into slices. 

  Extra tip:

  The same dough can be used for preparing stuffed dumplings, e.g. with smoked meat or crackling.

   

  “Hairy” dumplings (gnocchi-type)

  Boil the potatoes in skin, peel them and let cool down. In a large bowl, grate both boiled and raw potatoes. Add egg, flour, salt and finely chopped parsley. Mix and knead in smooth dough. Let sit for a while.

  In a pot, bring water to boil, add salt and using a dampen spoon, make smaller dumplings and put them in the pot. After a while, get them off the bottom of the pot and cook for about 8 minutes.

  When ready, place the dumplings into a bowl, sprinkle with oil to prevent them from sticking together and mix.