Monday, January 21, 2008

And this is what I served with the goulash
--Hungarian Potato Dumplings


Hungarian Potato Dumplings
The Time-Life International Cookbook Copyright 1977

5 medium-sized potatoes, boiled in their jackets, cooled, peeled and riced (about 2 ¾ cups riced)
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup farina or semolina I used semolina
1 egg, beaten lightly
2 teaspoons milk

In a large saucepan, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. In a mixing bowl, combine the riced potatoes, flour, salt, farina or semolina, egg and milk. Mix them together with a wooden spoon until they form a smooth paste. Dust your hands with flour and form the mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter.

Drop the dumplings onto the boiling water and bring to a gently boil again. Simmer the dumplings for about 10 minutes, or until they rise to the top.
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I don't know why but I've always had a thing for dumplings. My mother would make beef stew (I think) with biscuit like dumplings on top. I loved chicken and dumplings in a can. When I moved to this area I quickly discovered chicken corn soup which is often served with 'dough balls' which is basically a dumpling.

I noticed that you could buy potato dumpling mix in the grocery store and I was intrigued. I decided to make my own. I'm not sure how I felt about them. These weren't large at all, compared to the softball-sized potato dumplings I've seen pictured elsewhere. Never having actually sampled a potato dumpling anywhere else, I don't know if these were 'right' or not. They weren't too heavy. I was worried they were going to disentegrate but they held up well in the leftovers. They weren't very flavorful but dumplings usually aren't.

I think I'll have to do more experimenting. These were okay but nothing extraordinary. Maybe I'll try the boxed potato dumpling mix just to see what it's like.

Blast From The Past: Sweet-Sour Pork on Rice from October 2007. I've been thinking about making that again. I really liked it.

Question of the Day: Do you like any sort of dumplings like this? What kind?

5 comments:

DancesInGarden said...

To me chicken and dumplings was supposed to mean noodles - "sliders". Imagine my surprise to getting a dish of stew with soggy biscuits in it at a restaurant in Florida ;).

I like hungarian dumplings, which are basically a thick noodle dough spooned or cut into boiling water. They are dense and chewy rather than light and fluffy. They can be made small (almost like spaetzel with a firmer texture) or large like MIL makes (bigger than the potatoes in her stew. I find them too hard to chew and swallow when they are this big but DH and DD love them).

A friends mother made the same dense chewy dough but would roll them into little balls to put into soup. So you would have this basically clear soup with the little ball dumplings in it.

As far as dumplings go, I am a fan. As an adult I even now like the biscuit kind.

Anonymous said...

This goulash and dumplings look so very good. Dang, I'm on a jump start diet (hope to continue on a healthy routine). Dumplings - love them. Growing up, I only knew the round ones. One grandmother made the most delicious ones - big and fluffy throughout. I've never been able to master good ones until lately, after trying countless recipes. I never knew that some dumplings were thin strips until later years. I also want to try cornmeal dumplings (supposed to be good with pork). I've never had a potato dumpling, but sounds good.

Jan

Annie said...

I have never tried them before but yours look magnificent!

I saw a recipe on America's Test Kitchen and have wanted to try them ever since.
Now I have a recipe handy, thanks.

ThursdayNext said...

I am a fan of chinese dumplings the most.

Wanda said...

I would really like to try some. I've never had any (or the opportunity to try any) other than the bread dough types. I love them! ...well except for the tortilla type which seem to be such a cop out.