Bohemian Bread Dumplings Recipes

HOUSKOVé KNEDLíKY - CZECH BREAD DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Cut the stale white bread into ⅓-inch cubes.
• Combine the flour with 2 pinches of salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Put yeast in the center, sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Pour in ⅓ of lukewarm milk and stir with a little flour using a fork. Let it sit for 5 minutes until yeast dissolve.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining milk with an egg. Add the mixture to the bowl with flour and yeast.
• Knead the dumpling dough until smooth. Use your hands (my choice) or a kitchen mixer with a proper attachment. Add a bit of flour if the dough is too sticky.
• Only now add cubed bread and combine.
• Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 45 minutes in a warm place until double.
• Meantime, prepare a pot with low boiling salted water to boil the dumpling or a steamer in case you intend to steam the dumpling.
• Divide the proofed dough into two pieces, form a cylinder shape out of each piece. One loaf should be about 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) long and 3-inch (7 cm) thick.

BOHEMIAN BREAD DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt, 4 eggs, baking powder & milk together until you have stiff dough.
• When mixed well, add the cubed bread.
• Form into 2 dumplings.
• Boil in a large pot of water or broth for 30 minutes.
• Cool & slice into ¾ inches slices
• Melt ¼ cup butter in a skillet on med-low heat.
• Add the sliced dumplings & chopped onion.
• Season with salt & pepper or to taste.
• Fry until a light golden brown.
• If desired, pour the 6 well-beaten eggs over & cook until eggs are set -- stir very little.(I prefer them with a nice gravy poured over, instead of the eggs!).

TRADITIONAL CZECH BREAD DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk together egg yolks and milk in a separate medium bowl.
• Pour the egg-milk mixture into the bowl with flour.
• Work the dough-with a Danish dough whisk, hands, or a stand mixer with the dough hook-until it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
• Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
• Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a slow boil.
• Work the 4 cups of bread cubes into the batter by hand or in a stand mixer with the dough hook until well incorporated.
• Shape the dough using floured hands into 3 or 4 rolls that are about 8 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide.
• Carefully slip the rolls into the water once it is boiling, giving them a stir so they don't stick. If the pot doesn't comfortably fit all the rolls, boil them in batches.
• Reduce heat, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Cooking the rolls at a rapid boil can cause them to disintegrate.
• Remove 1 dumpling from the pot using a slotted spoon after 10 minutes of cooking and test for doneness by cutting through the middle of the dumpling with a thread or sharp knife. The dumpling is done when the knife comes out almost clean after slicing it.
• Remove the dumplings one by one when done and slice into 3/4-inch pieces using either a thread or sharp knife. Repeat until all dumplings are removed from the water and sliced.
• Serve warm with gravy and garnish with fresh parsley.

BOHEMIAN DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Sift the flour into a bowl. In another bowl mix together the milk and egg yolks with a little bit of salt. Add the milk mixture to the flour and blend to a smooth dough.
• Saute the bread in the butter over moderate heat until golden. Sprinkle the bread over the dough. Pour on the goose fat and let the mixture mellow 1 hour. Blend the bread into the dough. Beat 2 egg whites until stiff and fold them into the dough.
• Soak a tea towel in water, squeeze it dry and line a sieve with it. Add the dough and pull the cloth up around the dough and tie it off immediately above dough. Transfer the wrapped dough to a pot of simmering water with a rack and poach it for 1 hour. Transfer it to a platter, let it cool a little, and then untie it and cut the dumpling with a thread into slices.
• Recommended drink: Lager

CZECH BREAD DUMPLINGS (KNEDLíKY)

Steps:

• Combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let sit and bloom for about 10 minutes.
• Add egg and kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Pour in 2 ¾ cups flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and forms a dough.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and slightly elastic, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, flipping the dough to coat the top in oil. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Transfer back to your work surface; press out the excess air and form dough into a relatively uniform ball.
• Cut dough into two equal pieces. Form each piece into a uniform ball. Roll each ball into a tube, 2 to 2 ½ inches wide.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let proof for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a steady simmer.
• Carefully pick up a risen piece of dough and transfer to the simmering water. Bring back to a simmer. Cover tightly and let simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover, flip, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Transfer to a plate and poke all over with a toothpick or wooden skewer, which releases the steam from the center.
• Use a piece of string or thread to cut into 3/4- to 1-inch dumplings. Transfer to a serving plate.
• Repeat Steps 9 to 11 to cook remaining dough.

BOHEMIAN RAISED DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. Mix Dry Yeast and ¼ cup of warmed milk, and ¼ teaspoon of sugar in small bowl.
• 2. Combine Sifted flour and salt in separate bowl.
• 3. Once yeast has dissolved and become bubbly, mix with flour mixture in large bowl.
• 4. Stir the mixture adding remainder of milk and beaten eggs.
• 5. Knead dough thoroughly into ball.
• 6. Place dough ball into bowl, cover with towel, and set in a warm place for an hour.
• 7. Dough should double in size at this time.
• 8. Separate dough into small balls, slightly larger than a golf ball, but smaller than a soft ball.
• 9. Set dough balls aside on plate and let raise for ½ hour (covered with towel)
• 10. Place dough balls into stockpot or kettle of boiling salted water.
• 11. Cover and boil for 10 minutes. Make sure to slightly crack lid open to prevent boil over. Half way thorugh cook time, remove lid and flip balls over.
• 12. Remove from hot water and cool on cutting board.
• 13. Cut dumplings with string or dental floss while still warm.
• 14. Serve with meat, or freeze for later use.

BREAD DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Add beaten egg.
• Add the lukewarm water and mix well with wooden spoon.
• Add bread.
• Mix well and roll into oblong dumplings.
• Place into boiling water, cover and cook about 20 minutes, stirring once.
• (We just used two teaspoons to drop pieces of dough into the water without shaping them first, and it worked fine).

SEMMELKNOEDEL (BREAD DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Place the bread cubes into a large bowl. Heat the milk until it starts to bubble at the edges, then pour it over the bread cubes. Stir briefly to coat the bread. Let soak for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until tender. Stir in the parsley, and remove from the heat. Mix into the bowl with the bread along with the eggs, salt and pepper. Use your hands, squeezing the dough through your fingers until it is smooth and sticky.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. The water should be at least 3 or 4 inches deep. When the water is boiling, make a test dumpling about the size of a small orange or tangerine, by patting and cupping between wet hands. Gently drop into the boiling water. If it falls apart, the dough is too wet. In this case, stir some bread crumbs into the rest of the dumpling batter.
• Form the remaining dough into large dumplings, and carefully drop into the boiling water. Simmer for 20 minutes, then remove to a serving plate with a large slotted spoon. They should come out soft, spongy and delicious!