Potato Dumpling Receipt

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

When I started this blog, I promised I would give everyone my receipt for Potato Dumplings. I always serve them with saurkraut. My Mother-in-Law showed me how to make these almost 40 years ago. It took me a number of years to perfect them.

I always make these with a pork roast or roast, stuffed chicken. They would also be good with a roast duck or goose. My whole family loves these, especially my three grandchildren. I only make these on Sunday when everyone comes over for dinner. One of the keys to success with these dumplings is the pan drippings that the meat is roasting in. I always brown my pork roasts first, then, transfer the roast to a lidded roasting pan. Before I brown it, I make cris crosses in the fat part and tuck in fresh garlic cloves. Season with salt. After it is browned and transferred to the roasting pan, sprinkle with carawy seeds and put about a glass full of water in the pan. I roast mine on 350 degrees until done. You need to keep adding a little water every now and the so that the juices do not evaporate. There needs to be enough juice left in the pan at the end to place in a serving bowl with ladle for your dinner table and to immerse the dumplings in after they are cooked ,to brown them in the juice.

First of all, you will need a dough board to make them on. I have an antique one that used to be my husband's Grandmother's. If you don't have a doughboard, use a board that you would use to make pie crust on.

The following receipt should make about 16 dumplings.

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks ( I always try to use Yukon Gold Potatoes because they come out softer after they are cooked)

2 eggs

20 heaping tablespoonfulls of flour (not bread flour, just all purpose) do not use self rising flour either.

salt (use your own judgement)

I always use a pasta stock pot with strainer insert and lid. Place chuncked potatoes inside strainer part and fill with water to cover potatoes. Salt water. Place on high to boil water. Just like you would do to make mashed potatoes. While potatoes are cooking, place the 20 heaping tablespoonfuls of flower in the middle of the bread board. When potatoes are done cooking, take strainer out and place in sink. Do not drain water, place pot back on stove and resalt bringing to a boil again.

You need a potato ricer for the next part. You can purchase one in a cookware shop or antique shop. I happen to own an antique one. Lift potatos out of strainer with a spoon and place into ricer. You should have enough for 3-4 times through the ricer. Rice potatoes over flour on board. After you are done ricing potatos, make a well in center of mixture and crack the eggs placing it in the center of the well. Salt mixture, and, with a fork, start encorporating the mixture together. I always divide the pile in two after it is all mixed together. You need to form a mound or ball with both and knead it several times to get mixture smooth and so that it stays together. Then, with the palms of your hands, role each piece into a log. They each should be about a foot long. With a knife, cut into 8-9 sections. When water is boiling, place the dumplings in the water. You will need to take a long handled spoon and lift the dumplings up from bottom so they do not stick. They will float and cook. You cook them about 10-15 minutes then lift them out with a slotted spoon and place into roasting pan (You need to take roast out first and cover it. Take some of juice out for the table). Roll dumplings in juice left in pan to coat them.

I always make saukraut to serve over the dumplings. I use a whole large jar of saurkraut.

Saute half a chopped onion in about 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan you plan on using to cook saurkraut in. After it is cooked, add a large jar of saurkraut, brown sugar (I use about 5 tablespoons because I make mine on the sweeter side), and caraway seed. Cook on med/low half covered with lid until it is all cooked down. (Probably 2 hours)

The way it is served at the table, you cut your dumplings up on your plate, place saurkraut on top and spoon some of the pan juice on top. It is heaven!!

Hope you will try my receipt and let me know how they came out. It takes practice to make good dumplings. They need to be soft but firm, not squishy. They should not be hard, either.