Bread Dumplings Recipe
Bread dumplings are called Semmelknödel or Weckknödel or Weckklöβe in Germany.
Ingredients for bread dumplings:
- 8 kaiser rolls, 2 days old (combined, my rolls weighed about 700 g - 27.51 oz)
- 1 small onion (Optional)
- 50 g (1.76 oz) of butter (OR) lard
- 500 ml–600 ml (16.9 oz–20.28 oz) of milk
- 3 extra large eggs
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3–4 tablespoons of chopped parsley (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons of flour to help form the dumplings
Preparation of bread dumplings:
First cut the rolls in slices and then into cubes. Place in a large bowl. In a separate microwavable bowl, add the milk along with the butter (OR) lard and heat it up for about a minute in the microwave. The milk mixture should be hot, but not boiling. Pour the mixture over the cubes of bread. In another bowl, beat the eggs and salt together with a whisk. Add the eggs to the rolls and let it all soak for about an hour or until they soften. If you still feel that the mixture is too dry, add some more warm milk. The amount of milk necessary really depends on the weight of the rolls, which could differ.
Wash the parsley and dry with a paper kitchen towel. Chop it finely with a knife or use a food chopper. Add the parsley to the rolls and mix it evenly through the dough.
Spread two tablespoons of flour on a plate. Cover your hands with the flour and form dumplings about the size of a tennis ball. Let the formed dumplings rest on a plate for about a half an hour in a cool place. This will allow all the ingredients in the dumpling to harden—making them easier to cook.
Cooking the Bread Dumplings
Bring a saucepan with water and two tablespoons of salt to a boil. Place the dumplings into the boiling water. Turn the heat back and let the dumplings simmer for about 20 minutes, or until they float on the surface. Use a spider strainer to remove the dumplings and place them on a plate.
NOTE: If you like to add sauteed onions to your dumplings, simply do the following: Instead of heating up the butter (OR) lard with the milk—heat up only the milk. Melt the butter (OR) lard separately in a saucepan. Add in your diced onions and fry them to a light brown. Add the milk to the bread mix, followed by the onions (and the melted fat). Mix thoroughly and shape when ready.
You could serve the bread dumplings with Oma’s beef stroganoff and a beet salad or red cabbage.
