Crispy fried bread dumplings

Crispy fried bread dumplings are a delicious side dish that fits perfectly with a festive meal. Originally from the Bohemian region in Eastern Europe, these dumplings are a fantastic way to repurpose leftover bread in a tasty manner. They can also serve as a vegetarian alternative to meatballs, making them a versatile addition to any table.

With their crispy exterior and soft, flavorful interior, fried bread dumplings offer a delightful texture and taste that everyone will appreciate. Whether you serve them alongside a main course, as a hearty snack, or as a creative way to breathe new life into old bread, fried dumplings are sure to impress your guests.

How to make crispy fried bread dumplings?

You can perfectly prepare the dumplings in advance, so you only have to fry them before serving. This is always handy if you have guests and don't want to spend all your time in the kitchen.

Preparing the dough and balls

The dough is relatively easy to prepare. You can use fresh bread rolls, but it is also an ideal way to repurpose old bread into vegetarian balls.

We start by warming the milk until it is lukewarm. Meanwhile, we can cut the bread rolls into small pieces to knead them into dough later. Then, we pour the lukewarm milk over the bread rolls and let them soak for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, we can peel and chop the onion into small pieces. We then sauté the onion in a little oil for a minute and add it to the soaked bread.

We also finely chop the cilantro and add it to the bowl with the soaked bread rolls.

Finally, we add the egg, panko, nutmeg, and additional spices like pepper and salt as flavor enhancers to the bowl.

Now we knead all the ingredients together until they are well integrated and form a cohesive dough. If the mixture is still too wet to roll into balls, you can add a bit more panko or breadcrumbs.

Then we roll the dough into dumpling balls and place them on a plate. Cover them and place them in the refrigerator to firm up. Alternatively, you can make small patties by flattening the balls slightly.

Frying the dumplings

For frying the dumplings, we heat a large knob of butter in a large pan. Then we fry the dumplings over high heat until they get a crispy crust. Roll them regularly so that they brown nicely on all sides and do not stick.

You can serve them as a side dish with a festive meal, such as with duck and cranberries or with a fennel dish with salsiccia. But they are, of course, also a perfect vegetarian alternative to meatballs or just a delicious snack.

What are dumplings?

Dumplings are balls of dough, usually made from flour, potatoes, or (old) bread, and they can be either savory or sweet. You can fill them with meat, vegetables, cheese, or even fruit, and serve them as a side dish, main course, or dessert. Dumplings can be boiled, steamed, baked, or fried, depending on regional traditions and recipes. Different kinds of dumplings are made all over the world. But these kind of dumplings are a Central European specialty.

Origin and regions in Central Europe

These kind of dumplings are especially popular in Central and Eastern Europe, but you can find variations of them all over the world. In the Bohemian cuisine (part of the Czech Republic), known as knedlíky. And they are an essential part of traditional meals. Dumplings from this region are often made from old bread and serve as a side dish with meat dishes.

Examples of dumpling varieties in Central Europe

1. Bohemian Knedlíky: Often made from old bread, served with meat dishes like goulash.
2. Hungarian Gombóc: These are often filled with plums and sprinkled with sugar.
3. Slovak Bryndzové Halušky: Small potato dumplings served with sheep cheese and bacon.
4. German Kartoffelknödel: Potato dumplings often served with sausages or roasted meat.
5. Italian Gnocchi: Small potato dumplings served with various sauces.

If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.