Authentic Semmelknödel Recipe (Bread Dumplings) | MasalaHerb.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to perfect dumplings? ›

Overworking the mixture, thus having heavy dumplings is a common mistake people make. Dumplings need very gentle handling, so mix only until the ingredients are just combined, and if your recipe involves rolling them out with extra flour, avoid using too much.

Bread dumpling recipes are varied across the region, but in general, they use either flour or stale bread, yeast (or other leavening agents), eggs, salt, and a liquid for binding. And then herbs, dried meats, fat, and other ingredients can be added.

The Semmel Knoedel recipe is pretty standard: Diced hardened bread rolls, onions, butter, fresh parsley, milk, eggs, salt, pepper and often a dash of freshly ground nutmeg. Another variation, Speckknödel (bacon dumplings), are prepared exactly the same way only they have the addition of cooked bacon.

This knödel traditionally accompanies one of the more classic Austrian dishes: Schweinsbraten (a form of roast pork). The bread dumplings soak up the gravy rather nicely. This (side) dish also offers the possibility of forming some of those gorgeous long German words.

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

Knödel or Klöße are large round poached or boiled potato or bread dumplings, made without yeast. They are normal parts of Austrian, German, Hungarian, Slovakian and Czech cuisine. They come in many different forms.

What are dumplings made of? The dumpling dough is made of three main ingredients: flour, water and salt.

The Chinese had figured out how to grind flour about 300 years earlier, which led to noodles and, eventually, dumplings. Some say that the first dumplings were made with lamb and pepper, but since then, they have adapted. Most dumplings now have a pork mixture as their filling.

Pierogi (Eastern European filled dumplings)

Where did Knödel originate? ›

Knödel have been cooked in the Alps for more than 4,000 years. One of the first versions was the mashed grain Knödel, which was baked on the shores of Lake Mondsee in Upper Austria.

The best side dishes to serve with Asian dumplings (East Asia) are ramen, tomato and egg stir fry, fried greens, chilli miso steamed aubergine, pork belly fried rice, cucumber salad (Oi Muchim), tahini miso noodles, and claypot tofu.

Once your water is boiling, let your dumplings cook in the steam for about ten minutes. Don't remove the lid as letting the steam escape will disrupt the cooking process and result in undercooked dumplings, so keep that lid on!

The liquid should be at a low/moderate steady boil. If it's boiling too hard, the dumpling dough can fall apart. Simmering broth might not be hot enough to raise the dumpling dough. Remove or tilt the lid after they've cooked so the dumplings don't over-steam and get soggy and dense.