Czech dumplings

Cut off the crust from the bread slices, leaving only the soft part. It is preferable to use stale bread; if you don't have any, dry fresh bread in the oven. Cut it into small cubes.

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

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

Add the diced dried bread to the dough. Mix the bread into the dough with your hands to ensure even distribution of the pieces. Leave the dough in the bowl under a towel for an hour to activate the yeast.

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. Cover the dough with a towel again and wait for 10 minutes.

Roll each piece into a thick sausage shape, resembling a small loaf of bread. Sprinkle a flat plate with flour and place the dumplings on it.

Take the largest pot you have, fill it with water up to ¾ full, and set 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 has passed, turn the bread dumplings to the opposite side and continue cooking for another 9 minutes without covering the pot with a lid.

Remove the cooked dumplings from the water using a slotted spoon and immediately make several holes in them with a fork to prevent them from puffing up due to steam. Leave them to cool completely.

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