German Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelknödel)
by Jay Wadams
Here in Germany, we love our dumplings! Served alongside a roast with plenty of gravy, German Potato Dumplings or Kartoffelknödel are an absolute must. Don’t worry if you have leftovers; they taste fantastic fried the next day!
Ingredients
- 800 g floury potatoes
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 100 g potato flour or rice flour
- 50 g plain or all-purpose flour
- 1 egg beaten
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Instructions
- PREPARE: Wash the potatoes, then cut a shallow line through the skin all the way around the circumference of each. Put all the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cool water, add a generous amount of salt and bring to the boil, covered. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, until soft.
- PEEL AND MASH: When the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, drain the potatoes. Allow to sit for a minute or two, then peel away the skin. Use a potato ricer to press the potatoes into a mixing bowl and allow to cool. (See note)
- SHAPE DUMPLINGS: When the potatoes have cooled, season with salt and nutmeg, then add the potato flour and plain flour. Use your hands to combine, then add the egg and knead the mixture to a smooth dough. If the mixture is very wet, add a little more starch. Divide the dough into 8-10 equal parts and roll into smooth balls. (See variation)
- COOK DUMPLINGS: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Use a slotted spoon to lift the dumplings into the pot, immediately reduce the heat to very low, cover partially with the lid and cook for 20 minutes. The dumplings poach, not boil, so you should barely see any bubbls in the water.
- SERVE: When the dumplings are cooked (they’ll be floating), transfer to a serving platter and serve alongside your meal.
Notes
MASHING vs. RICING: Using a potato ricer will give you lovely smooth dumplings, but mashing the potatoes will also work perfectly. Just be thorough so you don’t end up with any lumps.
VARIATION: It’s common to add a small crouton into the middle of each dough ball, but this is a matter of personal preference. If you like, add a small toasted crouton to the centre of each dumpling as you roll them.
SIZE: I have found that people prefer smaller Kartoffelknödel, so I roll this amount of potato dough into 10 balls, which cook in around 15 minutes. They’ll need a longer cooking time if you make larger dumplings.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg