Czech dumplings

No Czech meal is complete without dumplings – a boiled flour side dish. There are many variants of dumplings, made from flour, potatoes, or with various fillings added. Among this variety, Czech dumplings are the most popular, and they pair well with any type of sauce.

Caloric content: 204 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Cooking time: 100 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings.

Ingredients

• 200 g semolina;
• 200 g flour;
• 200 ml milk;
• 10 g yeast;
• 2 slices of bread;
• 1 egg;
• 1 tsp sugar;
• 4 tbsp salt.

Preparation

1. Cut the crusts off the bread slices, leaving only the crumb. It is advisable to use stale bread; if you do not have any, dry fresh bread in the oven. Cut it into small cubes.

2. In a bowl, combine the semolina with the flour, add sugar and ½ tsp of salt. Add the yeast, which can be either fresh or dried. Pour in half of the warm milk and start mixing with a spatula.

3. As soon as the mixture begins to come together, add the egg and the remaining milk. Continue kneading until all ingredients are fully combined.

4. Add the chopped dried bread to the dough. Incorporate the bread into the dough by hand, ensuring even distribution of the pieces. Leave the dough in the bowl covered with a towel for an hour to allow the yeast to activate.

5. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into 2-3 equal parts. Knead each piece by hand for about a minute. Again cover the dough with a towel and wait 10 minutes.

6. Shape each piece into a thick sausage, resembling a small loaf of bread. Dust a flat plate with flour and transfer the dumplings onto it.

7. Take the largest pot in your arsenal, fill it with water up to ¾ full, and put it on the heat until it boils vigorously. Before adding the dumplings to the pot, be sure to salt the water well. This requires about 2-3 tablespoons of salt, depending on the size of the pot. Stretch the dumplings lengthwise and place them in the boiling water. Set a timer for 9 minutes. Once the time is up, flip the bread dumplings to the other side and continue cooking for another 9 minutes without covering the pot.

8. Remove the cooked dumplings from the water with a slotted spoon and immediately make several holes with a fork so that they do not swell from the steam. Leave them until completely cool.

9. Before serving, the Czech dumplings are sliced into thin pieces. To make a neat and even cut, Czechs often use a thin thread instead of a knife. Due to their fine porous texture, the dumplings absorb sauces well, allowing you to fully enjoy your favorite flavors!