Potato dumplings are not just a dish, they are a symbol of the Ukrainian soul, its history and culinary skills. They combine simplicity and depth of taste, satiety and tenderness. Potato dumplings are a dish that will warm you on a cold evening, give you a feeling of comfort and return you to memories of your grandmother’s kitchen.
Dumplings: From Antiquity to Modernity
The history of dumplings goes back to ancient times. There are several versions of the origin of this word. According to one of them, it comes from the German “Kloß” (“ball”, “lump”), according to the other – from the Proto-Slavic “pebble” (a round pebble). This suggests that the dish may have both medieval origins and its roots in the V-VII centuries AD.
Dumplings are a real culinary variety. They are different: on wheat and buckwheat flour, on potatoes, semolina, cottage cheese, bryndza, etc. The shape of the dumplings can also be varied – round, oval, square, rectangular or even similar to fingers. The size – from small, like Italian gnocchi, to large, like pies.
Traditionally, dumplings are cooked without filling, but there are options with filling – mushrooms, minced meat, etc. Most often, dumplings are boiled, but they can also be fried after boiling or baked in the oven.
Dumplings stand in a row with such famous dishes as Italian gnocchi, German spaetzle, Austrian knödel, Czech dumplings, Polish kluski (dumplings), Lithuanian zeppelins (the latter – with filling) and many others.
Potato dumplings: comfort and satiety in one dish
Today we offer a recipe for potato dumplings – this is a cozy and hearty dish that is ideal for cool evenings or when you need a hearty meal.
Potato dumplings are a great choice for those who appreciate traditional Ukrainian cuisine and like to eat delicious food. They are easy to prepare, but at the same time have a rich and rich taste.
Recipe for potato dumplings with bacon and garlic sauce
Ingredients:
For dumplings:
- 4 medium potatoes (Russet, Yukon Gold or Idaho potatoes with a high starch content)
- 1 grated onion
- 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise (or sour cream)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried marjoram
- 1 cup of flour
For spicy bacon and garlic sauce:
- 200 g of smoked bacon
- 4 crushed garlic cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon of dried mint
Preparation:
- Wash and peel the potatoes, cut into pieces and cook for 20 minutes in salted water until ready.
- Drain the water, mash the potatoes into a puree in a large bowl.
- Add the onion, grated on a coarse grater.
- Add mayonnaise, eggs, salt, black ground pepper, dried marjoram and flour.
- Slowly mix everything together until the flour is no longer visible.
- Using a spoon, take part of the potato mixture and roll it in your hands to form a ball.
- Repeat the same for the rest of the potato mixture to get about 30 servings, setting aside each round ball of potato puree.
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, pour water and salt, then bring to a boil.
- Add a portion of potato balls (about 10 servings) to the pot and cook for 10 minutes, until they increase in size.
- Remove the potato dumplings one by one with a sieve, let them stand in the sieve for a few seconds to remove excess water.
- Set aside the boiled balls in a large serving plate or smaller plates for serving, and then repeat the cooking process for the remaining 2 batches.
- To prepare the garlic sauce, cut the bacon slices (7 slices) into small pieces.
- Fry the bacon in a pan over low heat for 15 minutes, until the bacon is browned and slightly crispy.
- Add the crushed garlic, red pepper flakes and dried mint to the pan with bacon.
- Fry for another 3 minutes and remove from heat.
- Add the seasoned bacon and garlic sauce on top of your potato dumplings or serve it in a separate dish.
Enjoy your meal!
Tips and options
- For cooking dumplings, it is better to use potatoes with a high starch content.
- Instead of mayonnaise or sour cream, you can use natural yogurt.
- Garlic sauce can be prepared both on the basis of vegetable oil and on the basis of butter.
- Instead of dried marjoram, you can use other herbs, such as thyme or rosemary.
- Ready dumplings can be sprinkled with grated cheese or herbs.
I hope this recipe will help you prepare delicious and fragrant potato dumplings with bacon and garlic sauce, which will become a real decoration of your table!
