German Kniffles Food

KNODLES (GERMAN BREAD DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• 1. Put the diced up bread in a bowl. Bring the milk to a boil and pour over the bread. Cover with foil or if you are using a pan, put the lid over the pan for 1 hour.
• 2. Beat the two eggs together in a cup. Add to the bread mixture after the hour is up and also now add the tablespoon of flour and the teaspoon of salt and mix all together. If mixture is too soft, add some breadcrumbs.
• 3. Shape the bread into balls about the size of your palm or about the size of a baseball and drop each ball into a pan of simmering salted water (I just add 1 teas of salt to the water) Put the lid on and leave covered for 20 minutes as it continues to simmer. NEVER LIFT THE LID during the cooking time.
• 4. Take dumplings out of the water and serve with your favorite gravy over them. This will make 6 or 7 dumplings.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN SPAETZLE

Steps:

• Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to combine. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the eggs in it. Add the milk (start with using slightly less and add more as needed). Attach a dough hook to the stand mixer and "knead" the dough for 16-20 minutes, or until bubbles appear (see pictured instructions for details). After 15 minutes or less of beating, use a wooden spoon to scoop and pull the dough. If bubbles/holes appear, the dough is done.
• Bring at least 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Using a Spätzle maker of your choice (I use and prefer the Spätzle press), press the noodles into the simmering water and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the noodles float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the noodles to a colander, and then dump the noodles in a large bowl of ice water. Drain the noodles again, toss with some melted butter and serve warm.
• Make Ahead: The Spaetzle can be stored in the fridge for at least a couple of days and then reheated. Melt some butter in a large skillet and toss the Spätzle in it to heat through.

GERMAN DUMPLINGS (SPAETZLE OR KNIFFLES) FOR SOUP OR SAUTE

Steps:

• Mix these together until sticky.
• Drop into bubbling soup or stew, broth or water. (see below for ideas).
• Dumplings will rise to the surface as they cook; remove from liquid with a slotted spoon (if sautéing in another pan); set aside in a bowl (keep warm).
• MAKE THE DUMPLINGS #1: This method results in very small, stringy-ish dumplings and is great for soups or stews. Spoon several tablespoons of batter into a colander, then with the back of the spoon--press the batter through the holes into the bubbling liquid.
• METHOD #2: This method forms larger dumpling pieces (dime & quarter size) and is great for soups or stews, too -- but especially good if you want to saute the dumplings afterwards (more on that in a minute). Using a teaspoon and butter knife, scoop up a spoonful of batter, then use the knife to cut off little dibs and dabs, using the knife to also push the dibs into the hot liquid. If the knife or spoon gets messy, just dip into the hot liquid.
• SERVING IDEAS: We love these in chicken-dumpling soup (use your regular chicken soup recipe -- skip the egg noodles and make these dumplings instead). OR scoop out the larger dumplings (Method #2), and saute in butter or olive oil along with kielbasa or other sausage and LOTS of onion ring slices. OR saute some fresh veggies, then add the dumplings -- heaven!
• VARIATIONS: Add several pinches of your favorite herbs along with the flour to enhance the soup, stew or saute dish.
• Chef's Note: Altho' this is kind of putzy, it is well worth the effort and SO different from regular pasta-noodles.

GERMAN BEEF SOUP (RINDFLEISCHSUPPE)

Steps:

• Make sure you have washed the soup bones well and they have a nice amount of meat on them.
• Do not remove the skin from the onion, but wash it and pat dry.
• Cut a slit into one side of the onion and stick the bay leaf into the slit.
• Poke the whole cloves into the other side of the onion.
• Combine all ingredients except noodles in a huge stockpot.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 2 hours.
• Set a huge bowl underneath a colander and strain soup through colander.
• Save the meat and the carrots and discard the other boiling veggies.
• Dice the carrots and cut any meat chunks into bite sized pieces, discarding any chunks of fat and the bones.
• Set aside.
• Return the broth to the stockpot along with the noodles and simmer until the noodles are tender and cooked through.
• Return the carrots and the meat to the pot and season with a nice amount of salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve hot.

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES

Steps:

• Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale yellow and creamy. Gradually add 2 cups flour to butter mixture until the dough is too thick for the mixer. Stir remaining 2 cups flour into the butter mixture by hand and knead until dough falls off hands easily. Roll dough into a ball, place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Stir walnuts and sugar together in a bowl. Pour milk into walnut mixture and stir to form a paste.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll to desired thickness. Cut dough into 2-inch squares. Place about 1 teaspoon walnut filling in the center of each square. Roll the dough from 1 corner to the other corner around the walnut filling and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

GERMAN SPAETZLE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
• Press dough through spaetzle maker, or a large holed sieve or metal grater.
• Drop a few at a time into simmering liquid. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
• Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or margarine. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve.

SPATZLE (LITTLE GERMAN NOODLE DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Mix eggs, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
• Add milk or water (your choice).
• Batter will be thick.
• Heat water or broth of choice till boiling.
• Add 1 teaspoon salt.
• Press batter through colander (preferably one with large holes), a few tablespoons at a time, into boiling water.
• Stir once or twice while boiling to prevent sticking.
• Cook until dumplings rise to surface and are tender, about 5 minutes; drain.
• Pour butter over dumplings.
• NOTES: These free-form dumplings make an unusual side dish, sprinkled with grated cheese or toasted bread crumbs.
• They can be made in hot broth instead of water, and some recipes instruct forcing the Spatzle dough directly into a boiling soup to cook, just minutes before the soup is brought to the table.
• Spatzle is also delicious drained and then fried in a little butter or margarine.

SWISS KNEFFLE (SWISS NOODLES AKA GERMAN SPAETZLES)

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, salt & baking powder.
• Beat the eggs well.
• Gradually add the flour mixture a little at a time until well mixed. Batter will be stiff.
• Add the milk, a little at a time until batter is smooth. The batter should be the thickness of pancake batter.
• Fill a large kettle with water & bring to a boil. The water should be heavily salted.
• Carefully, tip the bowl over the kettle & using a butter knife, cut the batter into the salted water. (NOTE: You can also press the batter through the holes of a colander with the back of a spoon.).
• Cut or press through a few at a time until they float to the top.
• Remove noodles with a slotted spoon onto an oven-proof platter. (You can keep them warm in a 250° oven until finished.).
• Repeat steps 7 & 8 until batter is all gone.
• When done, pour melted butter over the top. Top with some bread crumbs, if desired. These are great when mixed with sauerkraut, too!
• ENJOY!

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COOKIES KIFFELS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, egg yolks and flour; beat until smooth.
• Shape into 1-inch balls; place in a container with waxed paper separating each layer.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• FOR THE FILLING, combine walnuts and 3 3/4 cups sugar (the mixture will be dry).
• In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into nut mixture.
• Add extracts and a few drops of water if necessary until filling reaches a spreading consistency.
• Place remaining sugar in a bowl; roll cream cheese balls in sugar until completely covered.
• Place a few balls at a time between two sheets of waxed paper.
• Roll balls into 2 1/2-inch circles.
• Gently spread about 2 teaspoons of filling over each.
• Roll up; place seam side down on ungreased baking sheets.
• Curve the ends slightly.
• Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Yield: about 8 dozen.

GERMAN-RUSSIAN-DAKOTA KNEFLA

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Whisk together the egg and milk in a separate bowl; stir in the flour mixture until a smooth dough is formed.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, cut the dough into bite sized pieces with scissors into the boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes; drain well.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat; add the knefla and potatoes. Stirring occasionally, cook until the potatoes are tender and the knefla are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

GERMAN KIPFELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put flour on counter.
• Make hole in the middle to put other ingredients.
• Add yeast, water, salt, vanilla, sugar, eggs, baking powder and butter to middle of flour.
• Knead dough until all ingredients are mixed. (Alternatively, use Kitchenaid with paddle blade to combine ingredients. First cream together butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla; whisk together dry ingredients and add to wet alternating with water.).
• Roll a fourth of the dough out on to the counter to 1/8" thickiness (Make sure the dough is rolled very thin).
• Cut dough into 3x3 inch squares using a pizza cutter.
• Put 5 chocolate chips in the middle.
• Roll dough from corner. Cookie should look like a crescent roll. Make sure to pinch the dough together so they don't unroll when cooking.
• Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
• Let cool for ~10 minutes.
• Roll in powdered sugar using a zip lock bag.
• Put cookies in container/ziplock and store in the freezer for best taste.