Knödel 101
A chewy start-of-fall dispatch
Back after a long summer hiatus with a very exciting dispatch!!! Temperatures are dropping (albeit slowly), we’re starting to wear more and go out less (jk), and carbs are BACK (as if they ever left). Fall never tasted this good.
Today’s topic is: Knödel. The typical translation is dumplings, though I would say they’re more similar to meatballs, since they’re rolled up balls (rather than fillings wrapped in dough). Semantics aside, they’re a fantastic way to use up leftover bits and bobs. In Germany and Austria they’re made with virtually anything - spinach, cheese, speck, liver, potato, pretzel, plum, apricot… the list goes on, the opportunities are endless, and with soup season kicking off as we speak, I can guarantee these Knödel won’t be the last you’ll be seeing around here.
Also, shoutout @depthsofwiki for making me aware of the term below, which hits the nail on the head not just for noodles and boba, but also - you guessed it - Knödel. Another translation is “springy and bouncy”.
Ingredients
200g bread cubes (Semmelwürfel*)
250ml milk
2 eggs
1 cup chanterelle mushrooms** (cleaned + chopped)
1 shallot (peeled + chopped)
1 handful parsley (chopped)
2 tb butter
2 tb flour
1/4 cup speck
*For those of you outside of Germany/Austria, Semmelwürfel might not be super accessible. But do not fret! They’re an easy DIY. Semmeln are white bread rolls - to make them into Semmelwürfel (bread-roll-cubes), you just have to slice them into 1cm slices, then cut those slices into 1cm cubes. Easy peasy!
**These ones were made with fresh chanterelles, which I foraged in mountains in Austria. If you don’t have access to chanterelles you can use any other mushroom!
Instructions
Step 1
Whisk the eggs with the milk, then pour over the bread cubes and mix well.
Step 2
Heat up the butter in a pan, then add in the chopped shallot and chanterelles for about 5-10 minutes, stirring often. In a separate pot, cook the speck cubes until crispy (I forgot to photograph this part).
Step 3
Add the parsley to the shallot & chanterelle mixture.
Step 4
Add all of the cooked ingredients to the bowl, mix well, then stir in the flour and let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes.
Step 5
Roll the dough up into balls and then boil for about 10 minutes in salted water. Serve in soup, on salad, in a pool of melted butter. The world is your oyster!
Beautiful pictures!