Last Updated on 4 years by Tim

Last year, I’ve published my recipe for German potato dumplings Thuringia-style. They’re made out of a mixture of raw and cooked potatoes. These dumplings, on the other hand, are made from 100 % cooked potatoes.

I’ve named them ‘Bavaria-style’ because Bavaria is kind of famous for its dumplings. You will also find Thuringia-style dumplings there, but this variety is widespread all over Southern Germany.

Bavaria-style potato dumplings are considered less fancy than Thuringia-style ones. They have a softer texture but I think they are nonetheless equally delicious. Different yes, less delicious: no.

The Building Blocks of German Cusine Series
This article is part of my basics series, which will introduce you to key ingredients and preparation methods. You can find all these articles in the ‘Basics’ category of this blog. Listed below are the articles that have yet been published in this series:

Use the right potato variety

As with the Thuringia-style dumplings, you do want to use a starchy potato variety. That way you won’t have to add as much refined potato starch to the dumpling batter.

Cook the potatoes as jacket potatoes: Shell on in salted water. Peel them once cool enough to handle while they are still hot. Press them through the potato ricer as soon as possible. That way they will have a super-smooth texture. And no, you can’t make these dumplings with a potato masher.

Thuringia-style dumplings are very minimalistic. Salt and starch are added to the dumpling batter. That’s it. For Bavaria-style dumplings, I like to enrich the dough with egg yolks and butter. Nutmeg and salt are then used to season the batter.

You will need a 1:1-mixture of all-purpose flour and starch to bind the dough. Cooked potatoes are wet. The flour and starch mixture will soak up the excess moisture and give them a firmer texture. But don’t overdo it with the starch unless you want industrial-style rubber gum dumplings.

How to cook your potato dumplings

The poaching liquid for the potato dumplings should never boil. Just below a light simmer is the sweet spot. If you’re new to making potato dumplings, cook a test dumpling first. If it falls apart, add more starch to the dough.

If you nailed the dough consistency, your dumplings should fall to the bottom of the pot first and then slowly start floating up. Let the dumplings poach for about 20 minutes. It’s no problem to keep them in the poaching liquid for a little longer if your main dishes are not ready yet.

The main task of potato dumplings is to soak up the gravy. So serve them with anything saucy like goulash, pork pot roast, or sour tripe.

German Potato Dumplings Bavaria-style (‘Bayerische Kartoffelknödel’)

January 15, 2020

by Tim

Cuisine German

Category Basics Dumplings Potatoes Sides Vegetarian

Persons

4

Notes

If you have no experience with making potato dumplings it’s best to cook a test dumpling before adding your entire batch into the poaching liquid. If the test dumpling falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of potato starch to your dough until it holds its shape when poached. Also, make sure your poaching liquid is always just below a light simmer and that the surface of your dumplings is completely smooth without any holes.

Ingredients

• 2.2 pounds (1 kg) starchy potatoes
• salt, to taste
• 2 egg yolks, size L
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Instructions

Cook the potatoes:

• Place your potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water and season liberally with salt. Bring the water up to a boil. Cover the pot and cook the potatoes skin-on for about 20 minutes or until tender. The potatoes are done once they easily slide off when pierced with a sharp paring knife. Drain the potatoes and peel using a sharp paring knife while still hot. Press the warm potatoes through your potato ricer or pass them through a tamis to get a smooth puree.

Prepare the potato dough:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then turn down the heat to keep it just below a light simmer.
• Add the egg yolks, butter, flour, and starch to the warm, but not hot, potato puree. Mix everything briefly and season the dough to taste with nutmeg and salt. Knead briefly so that the seasoning is well distributed.

Form and poach the dumplings:

• The size of the dumplings is up to your preference. Wet your hands and form ball-shaped potato dumplings by rolling the potato dough between the palm of your hands. Drop the dumplings into your hot water that should be just below a light simmer. They will first sink to the bottom and then slowly float up over time. Let the dumplings poach for about 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, take them out of the water and place them on a paper towel to drain any excess moisture. Let the potatoes sit for 3-4 minutes before serving so that they have the chance to firm up a little. Serve them with anything saucy.

Tags

dumplings,

potatoes,

sides

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