Knedliky Recipes

KNEDLIKY - CZECH DUMPLING WITH SAUERKRAUT (ZELI)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center, and pour in the eggs and 1 cup of milk. Stir to blend, and add enough additional milk to make a moist battery dough, not like pancake batter. Use a sturdy wooden spoon to beat the dough at least 200 strokes, rolling it over and over in the bowl until smooth and an occasional bubble appears on the surface. Add the dry white bread cubes, and stir into the dough until they disappear.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the dough onto a cheesecloth or white cotton cloth, and form into a loaf shape. Wrap the cloth around the loaf, and tie the ends.
• Place the loaf into the boiling water, and cook for 45 minutes, turning the loaf over about half way through. Remove from the water, unwrap, and cover with a tea towel. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Fry bacon in a small skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Set aside. Place the drained sauerkraut into a saucepan, and add enough water to cover the surface. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add bacon, and season with salt, pepper and caraway seeds. Stir together the cornstarch and water; mix into the sauerkraut, and simmer for a few minutes before removing from the heat.
• Slice the dumpling loaf. Drizzle dumpling slices with some of the roast drippings from the pan. Serve with sauerkraut.

TRADITIONAL KNEDLICKY (CZECH POTATO DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Fill a large soup pot (not sauce pan, too small) about half full of water and bring to a boil.
• Using just your hands, knead together equal amounts mashed potatoes and flour in a bowl until it forms a dough.
• Form dough into baseball/tennis ball sized balls.
• Carefully, so as not to splash, drop dumplings one at a time into boiling water. Do not over crowd pot. You only want a single layer of dumplings.
• The dumplings will sink to the bottom.
• Bring water back to a boil and then simmer.
• When the dumplings begin to float they're done. Don't take them out of the water right away, let them float for about 5 minutes before removing them.
• Remove finished dumplings from water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl or on a serving plate.
• Serve alongside any kind of roast and top with gravy or butter and salt and pepper. Yum!
• Leftovers can be cut up into bite-sized pieces.

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.

BREAD DUMPLINGS (HOUSKOVE KNEDLIKY)

Steps:

• Beat eggs, salt& milk in a large mixing bowl; add flour gradually.
• Continue beating with a large spoon (the dough must be smooth& stiff enough to hold its shape).
• Stir in bread cubes last.
• Have a clean, wet towel ready.
• Shape the dough with wet hands into an oblong, roll in a towel& drop into a large kettle of salted boiling water.
• Boil, covered, for 45 minutes.
• Remove the towel& slice the dumpling 1/2 inch thick (if not sliced immediately, the steam cannot escape& the dumplings will be soggy& hard).
• Keep hot until ready to serve.

KYNUTE KNEDLIKY (RAISED DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Sift flour, ad sugar, crumbled yeast and 1/2 cup lukewarm milk.
• Let set until yeast bubbles up.
• Add 1 tablespoon salt, egg, yolk and mix untildough is smooth.
• Let dough raise.
• Divide into dumplings, size of large oranges, place into pot of boiling water.
• Cook 10 minutes, turn over and cook another 10 minutes.
• Alway cut raised dumplings with a string.

SVESTKOVE KNEDLIKY PRUNE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add milk 1/2 at first up to 3/4 cup you need stiff dough.
• Roll dough out on floured board to 3/8 inch thick; cut into 3 inch squares.
• Place a blue plum with a teaspoon sugar and sprinkle of cinnamon on each square.
• Bring the corners to the top and seal all edges.
• Drop in boiling water and boil 10 to 12 minutes. Their plums could have been smaller.
• Remove to a platter.
• Serve with melted butter, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and surrounded with cottage cheese.

SVESTKOVE KNEDLIKY (PLUM DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Cream 2 tablespoons butter, beat in eggs and salt.
• Gradually beat in flour and riced potatoes.
• Dough should be stiff to knead thoroughly.
• On floured board roll out dough to 1/4-in thickness, then cut 3-inch squares.
• Lay 1 plum on each square, sprinkle with little cinnamon sugar and fold edges over plum.
• Shape with hands into a ball.
• The wall of dough should be very thin.
• Drop dumplings into boiling salted water, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Brown bread crumbs in 1/3 cup hot butter.
• Roll dumplings in buttered bread crumbs, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.