German Potato Dumplings Kartoffelknödel With Optional Filling Recipes

GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS (KARTOFFELKLOESSE)

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool until easily handled.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes; cook and stir until golden brown and crunchy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer bread to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Reserve the browned butter in the pan.
• Peel potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Mash and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir in eggs and mash until combined. Add flour; stir just until flour disappears. Do not overmix dough.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a simmer. Dampen hands with water and scoop a spoonful of the dough onto your palm. Shape into a circle, make a light indentation in the center, and place 2 or 3 croutons inside. Roll into a smooth ball, sealing in the croutons. Repeat with remaining dough and croutons.
• Use a large spoon to lower dumplings into the simmering water, one at a time. Cook until they float to the top, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until set, flipping dumplings over halfway, until 20 minutes.
• Place dumplings on a serving plate. Drizzle with reserved browned butter. Crumble remaining croutons on top and garnish with chives. Let dumplings firm up slightly before serving, about 10 minutes.

GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS (KARTOFFELKLößE)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks.
• Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover them with salted water, and bring them to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium; cover the pan and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain well.
• Rice the potatoes and spread them out on a large baking sheet or waxed paper; let them cool for about 30 minutes or until completely cooled. You should have about 6 cups (800 grams) of riced potatoes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, prepare the potato dumpling dough. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled riced potatoes with the potato starch, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the nutmeg.
• Add the beaten eggs to the potato mixture and gently mix with your hands to form the dough. Avoid overmixing.
• Shape the dough into about 12 firm 2-inch dumplings, about 3 ounces each.
• With a slotted spoon, place the dumplings in the boiling water.
• When the dumplings float to the top, turn the heat to low, just enough to maintain a simmer. Cover the pan and continue to cook for 20 minutes. Make sure the water is not at a rolling boil as it could cause the dumplings to fall apart.
• Remove the dumplings to a bowl; drizzle with melted butter, and sprinkle lightly with salt to taste.
• Serve potato dumplings with buttered breadcrumbs, freshly ground black pepper, and/or parsley, as desired.

KARTOFFELKLOESSE (GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Trim crusts off bread and save them for another use.
• Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes and fry in butter and oil mixture until golden brown, transfer to paper towel to dry.
• Cook scrubbed, unpeeled potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 45 minutes.
• Drain.
• Cool slightly.
• Peel.
• Cut potatoes into large pieces.
• Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Mash potatoes with fork or run through ricer into large bowl.
• Mix in salt and nutmeg.
• Add 1/2 cup flour and cornstarch.
• Using hands, knead mixture in bowl until smooth dough forms, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky.
• Mix in egg.
• Form dough into balls, using 1/4 cupful for each.
• Insert bread cube into center of each dumpling; roll dumpling between palms to enclose bread cube completely and form smooth balls.
• Working in batches, cook dumplings in large pot of nearly boiling salted water 10-15 minutes (or until dumplings rise to top).
• Using slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to large bowl.
• Keep covered with a damp kitchen towel as remaining dumplings are cooked.
• You should place no more than 4-5 dumplings in your pot at any one time in order to prevent them from sticking together or touching during cooking, which will cause them to fall apart.