Czech Yeast 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.

OLD-COUNTRY CZECH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. Mix the first three ingredients, let stand for 10 minutes. Mix the warm milk, egg, salt, yeast mixture and flour. Add the bread cubes. Add more flour, if necessary, until you have an elastic-y type bread dough. Knead the resulting dough just as you would when making bread. Cover with a cloth and let the dough rest in a warm place to rise. It should double in about 2 hours. Knead again and divide into 4-5 sections. Roll each section into a log, each about 1 1/2" thick and 7-8" long. Let rise another 1/2 hour. Drop the logs of dough, one at a time, into a large kettle of boiling water with a tight fitting lid. Boil gently on med-lo for about 10-12 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID!! Remove with slotted spoons and place on a buttered platter. Keep warm by draping a cloth over them. When ready to serve, slice 3/4" thick with a sharp knife.
• 2. Serve these Authentic Czech Dumplings on the botton of a bowl of your favorite soup, paprikash or ghoulash. To die for.

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.

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.

YEAST DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place milk and butter in a small saucepan, and simmer over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water placed in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the eggs, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and mix until thoroughly blended. Gradually stir in the flour, alternating with milk and yeast mixtures. Gather the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a cloth, and let the dough rest 20 minutes.
• Pour the chicken broth into a large pot. Bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle flour over a clean board or countertop. Turn the dough out onto the board and knead lightly until smooth and satiny, about 3 minutes. Add a little more flour if the dough is sticky. Roll out the dough to be about 1/2 inch thick. Use a butter knife to cut dough into 2 inch wide strips, and place strips into the boiling broth. Dumplings will initially sink, then rise to the surface when cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove dumplings from the broth with a slotted spoon, and drain on a plate.