Cottage Cheese Dumplings Food

CENTRAL EUROPEAN CHEESE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. In a food processor or blender, or with an electric mixer, combine the cheeses, onion, and salt. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Beat in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in enough of the semolina to produce a firm dough. (Getting the moisture level right so that the batter holds together in your hand is the tricky part.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. (The semolina absorbs moisture from the batter and firms it.)
• 2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Using 2 moistened soup spoons or your hands moistened with water, form the batter into 1 1/2-inch balls.
• 3. Drop the dumplings in the water in batches and stir gently to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until they expand and rise to the surface, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Serve warm. To keep warm or reheat, place in a 200°F oven.
• Austrian Jam-Filled Cheese Dumplings (Gefulte Topfenknodel)
• In the dumpling batter, omit the onion and add 3 to 5 tablespoons sugar and, if desired, 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest. Press a deep indentation into the cheese balls, fill with about 1/4 teaspoon lekvar (prune butter) or other jam (about 1/4 cup total), and press the dough around the filling to enclose. Cook as above. Serve with sweetened whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, or jam.
• Romanian Cheese-Cornmeal Dumplings (Papanush):
• Omit the onion and substitute 1/2 to 3/4 cup fine-grind yellow cornmeal for the semolina.

NORTH CROATIAN FARMERS CHEESE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix well whole eggs and lard. Drain the cheese and add into eggs. Add whole semolina, mix well and leave at least two hours in refrigerator. Longer it stays in refrigerator, better dumplings.
• Heat large pot with water until it boils. Keep boiling.
• Soak your hands in cold water and make balls; Golf-ball size. Put them one after another into boiling water and cook until they start to float on the surface and than 3-5 more minutes. It really depends how hard are your dumplings (that means you have to stick to the recipe).
• To serve as a side dish to meat and sauce, fry some breadcrumbs on butter and put the dumplings into the pan, and fry with breadcrumbs just to stick it to the dumplings. Serve warm.

HALUSKA, HUNGARIAN POTATO DUMPLINGS WITH COTTAGE CHEESE

Steps:

• boil, peel, and grate a large starchy potatoe.
• Combine with flour, egg, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Drop by 1/2 teaspoon into a large pot of boiling water.
• Dumplings are done when they float.
• Remove from pot and drain well.
• Empty water from pot and return dumplings to it.
• Sprinkle dumplings with dill weed then combine with cottage cheese (I prefer small curd but either works).
• Re-warm dish to eating temperature (cottage cheese will reduce temperature) and serve.
• Alternatively combine with boiled cabbage instead of cottage cheese (also very tasty).