In Czech and Slovak cooking, there are two main kinds of dumplings: bread and potato. Bread dumplings are much more common and are traditional for meat and sauce dishes. They will be light and spongy and will soak up the sauces of an entree nicely.
First, heat 1 cup milk to about 105-110 degrees. This will feel hot but not too hot to keep a finger in for 10 seconds. This makes a perfect home for the yeast. Pour the milk into a bowl or large cup (16 oz. volume or more). Add a teaspoon of powdered sugar to feed the yeast. Now add 3 Tablespoons of yeast. That is not a typing error, you need lots of yeast to make the dough rise correctly. Stir them all together and let it rise while you mix the next set of ingredients. It should make a froth that foams from the milk all the way to the top of the cup if the yeast is activated correctly. Try again if it doesn't work, as the dumplings will not turn out well if the yeast is not activated.
In another bowl, mix about 1/2 - 2/3 cup breadcrumbs with an egg. You can also use a couple chopped rolls instead of breadcrumbs. Add the yeast mixture, 3 cups of flour, and a pinch of salt. Once the dough is fully mixed it should clean off the sides of the bowl but still be a little sticky. Place in a greased covered bowl. Leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
Start some boiling water (fill a 6-quart pot half or 2/3 full). Knead the dough and then divide in half. You can form each half into an oval or a sphere (doesn't matter). There are a couple ways to proceed from here. For convenience, you can cover the shaped dough for 15 mins to let it rise again and then boil it, or you can wrap it in a cheese cloth, tying it off at the ends, let it sit for 15 mins, then boil it. They tend to turn out better in the cloth, but without the cloth it can be a little soggy but otherwise tastes the same.
Boil for 15 mins total, turning them over halfway through. Once removed from the water, take off the cloth immediately (if applicable) and set it on a cutting board to dry. Stab it everywhere with a fork or knife immediately to let out the steam. Then you cut it into 1/2-inch slices. You can do this with a knife or with a string. Once it has drained off (usually 1-2 mins), go ahead and place on saucers if serving immediately. If not, place in a cloth-lined bowl covered until ready to serve.
There are many ways to prepare these dumplings, but there are a few main things to keep in mind. First, make sure your yeast is activated and rising nicely. Second, find the right dough consistency. Third, find a way to keep them from getting too soggy while boiling and to let them dry off properly when done.
You will need:
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. powdered sugar
1/2 - 2/3 cup breadcrumbs (or 2 chopped dinner rolls)
1 egg
pinch of salt
3 cups flour
First, heat 1 cup milk to about 105-110 degrees. This will feel hot but not too hot to keep a finger in for 10 seconds. This makes a perfect home for the yeast. Pour the milk into a bowl or large cup (16 oz. volume or more). Add a teaspoon of powdered sugar to feed the yeast. Now add 3 Tablespoons of yeast. That is not a typing error, you need lots of yeast to make the dough rise correctly. Stir them all together and let it rise while you mix the next set of ingredients. It should make a froth that foams from the milk all the way to the top of the cup if the yeast is activated correctly. Try again if it doesn't work, as the dumplings will not turn out well if the yeast is not activated.
In another bowl, mix about 1/2 - 2/3 cup breadcrumbs with an egg. You can also use a couple chopped rolls instead of breadcrumbs. Add the yeast mixture, 3 cups of flour, and a pinch of salt. Once the dough is fully mixed it should clean off the sides of the bowl but still be a little sticky. Place in a greased covered bowl. Leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
Start some boiling water (fill a 6-quart pot half or 2/3 full). Knead the dough and then divide in half. You can form each half into an oval or a sphere (doesn't matter). There are a couple ways to proceed from here. For convenience, you can cover the shaped dough for 15 mins to let it rise again and then boil it, or you can wrap it in a cheese cloth, tying it off at the ends, let it sit for 15 mins, then boil it. They tend to turn out better in the cloth, but without the cloth it can be a little soggy but otherwise tastes the same.
Boil for 15 mins total, turning them over halfway through. Once removed from the water, take off the cloth immediately (if applicable) and set it on a cutting board to dry. Stab it everywhere with a fork or knife immediately to let out the steam. Then you cut it into 1/2-inch slices. You can do this with a knife or with a string. Once it has drained off (usually 1-2 mins), go ahead and place on saucers if serving immediately. If not, place in a cloth-lined bowl covered until ready to serve.
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