Croatian Bread Dumplings Recipes

CROATIAN PLUM DUMPLINGS RECIPE (KNEDLE SA ŠLJIVAMA)

Steps:

• Peel and boil the potatoes until tender
• Mash and salt the potatoes, and allow to cool
• Once cool, add oil and whole egg, and the flour and knead
• Roll out to 1 cm thick
• Cut into squares - the size of the cubes will depend on the size of the plums. It needs to be big enough so, that it can wrap the plum
• Using lightly floured hands, take the square of dough and pat it flat in your hand. Place a plum in the center and bring the sides of dough up over plum
• Enclose the plum in the dough
• Moisten edges with water to seal - you now have your dumpling!
• Place the dumplings in boiling water, and cook for 20 minutes
• With a slotted spoon, collect the dumplings, and allow them to drain on kitchen paper
• Brown the bread crumbs in a little sunflower oil (or butter) and sprinkle over the dumplings
• Transfer the dumplings to a serving platter and layer with icing sugar

CROATIAN CHEESE STRUKLI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
• Pour flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 egg, 1 1/2 tablespoon melted butter, and 2/3 cup water in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the bread hook and mix on low for 5 minutes, until the ingredients come together into a smooth tacky ball. Let the mixer run another 2-3 minute to knead the dough. If it seems too dry (not sticky) add 1-2 additional tablespoons of water. Brush the remaining butter around the dough ball and on the sides of the bowl. Then cover with plastic and let the dough rest for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix the cottage cheese, sour cream, 1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar, 4 eggs, thyme, garlic powder, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper together.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Lay one piece at a time on a clean work surface. Roll and stretch the dough into a 9 X 13 inch rectangle. (No need to flour the surface.) The dough should be thin enough to see light through it. Spread one-quarter of the cheese mixture over the dough. Then starting on a short end, gently fold the dough over 1 1/2 - 2 inches at a time, until it's rolled into a loose log. Carefully lift the log by the ends and lay it in the prepared baking dish.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese mixture. Once four logs are arranged in the baking dish, gently cut each log into 4 equal pieces. Pour half-and-half over the top and sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheddar.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the tops are puffy and golden, even in the center of the pan. Cut and serve!

CROATIAN BREAD DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Remove crust from bread. Cut the rest of bread into small cubes and dry them in oven. They must become crunchy.
• Make dough mixing milk, flour, eggs, parmesan and salt. Pour over crunchy bread.
• Finely mince onion. Cut bacon into small pieces and fry them but not too much. Bacon will drain some lard, so add oil and sauté onion until becomes translucent. Add parsley leaves and bacon and put it into dough.
• Mix well and leave at least half an hour in refrigerator.
• Make balls with your hand. They must be not larger than tenis balls. To do it better, put your hands in cold water before you form each ball. Put balls into boiling water and cook about 20 minutes. The balls must float, that is the indication they are done.
• Before serving fry in a frying pan some breadcrumbs on butter. Put bread balls on hot butter just for few seconds to cover them with breadcrumbs. For four persons reduce amount of ingredients to 1/4.

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.