The story behind the recipe
Gray dumplings owe their color to raw, grated potatoes. In Greater Polish cuisine, this is a distinct type of dumpling: the dough is spooned into boiling water without rolling it into shapes like kopytka (potato dumplings).
The ministerial description of the dish recalls old recipes with varying proportions. Therefore, in home cooking, it's worth starting with a moderate amount of flour and testing one dumpling, rather than immediately adding a lot to the whole bowl. The bacon and onion topping is a classic way to serve them.
Ingredients
Dumplings
- 1000 g potatoes (peeled; starchy, raw)
- 125 g wheat flour (plus 1–2 tablespoons if needed after testing)
-
20 g potato starch (in addition to the recovered sediment)
Abroad: potato starch / Kartoffelstärke - 1 pc egg
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt (for the dough; additional salt for the water)
Topping
- 120 g smoked bacon (cut into small cubes)
- 150 g onion (finely chopped)
Method, step by step
-
Grate the potatoes on a very fine grater. Transfer to a clean cloth and thoroughly squeeze out over a bowl. Set the liquid aside for a few minutes, do not pour it out immediately.
-
In the meantime, render the bacon in a pan over low heat. Add the onion and sauté gently until soft and lightly browned. Set the topping aside so it doesn't burn while cooking the dumplings.
-
Pour off the water from the sediment in the bowl. Add the white starch from the bottom to the drained potatoes. Add the egg, salt, 125 g of wheat flour, and 20 g of potato starch, and mix briefly.
-
In a wide pot, bring salted water to a boil. Wet a spoon with hot water and slide a small test dumpling into the pot. If it falls apart, add a tablespoon of wheat flour to the mixture and try again.
-
Spoon small portions of the mixture into the pot using a wet spoon, forming irregular dumplings about 2–3 cm long. Cook in batches at a gentle boil; gently stir the water to prevent sticking to the bottom.
-
Once they float, cook the small dumplings for another 3–4 minutes. Cut one open to check for any raw, doughy center. Larger pieces will require longer cooking.
-
Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well, and immediately mix with the warm topping. Divide into four portions. You can serve with sauerkraut or separately prepared sautéed cabbage.
Photos
