German Potato Balls By German Food

GERMAN POTATO BALLS

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight., Peel and grate potatoes. In a bowl, combine the eggs, 3/4 cup flour, bread crumbs, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add potatoes; mix with hands until well blended. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls; roll in remaining flour., In a large kettle, bring salted water to a boil. Add the dumplings, a few at a time, to boiling water. Simmer, uncovered, until the dumplings rise to the top; cook 2 minutes longer. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain; transfer to a large bowl., Mash potatoes. Stir in flour, eggs, bread crumbs, salt and nutmeg. Shape into sixteen (2-in.) balls., In a Dutch oven, bring 12 cups water to a boil. Carefully add dumplings. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 7-9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of dumplings comes out clean., Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, heat butter and onion over medium heat. Heat 5-7 minutes or until butter is golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in bread crumbs. Serve with dumplings.

GERMAN POTATOES

Steps:

• In a large pot of salted water, boil the potatoes until they are just about fork tender. Do not overcook. Drain the potatoes and cool. Slice the potatoes about 1/4-inch thick.
• In a large, heavy-sided cast iron skillet, add the shortening, onions, and potatoes and cook over medium heat until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS (KARTOFFELKLOESSE)

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool until easily handled.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes; cook and stir until golden brown and crunchy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer bread to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Reserve the browned butter in the pan.
• Peel potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Mash and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir in eggs and mash until combined. Add flour; stir just until flour disappears. Do not overmix dough.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a simmer. Dampen hands with water and scoop a spoonful of the dough onto your palm. Shape into a circle, make a light indentation in the center, and place 2 or 3 croutons inside. Roll into a smooth ball, sealing in the croutons. Repeat with remaining dough and croutons.
• Use a large spoon to lower dumplings into the simmering water, one at a time. Cook until they float to the top, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until set, flipping dumplings over halfway, until 20 minutes.
• Place dumplings on a serving plate. Drizzle with reserved browned butter. Crumble remaining croutons on top and garnish with chives. Let dumplings firm up slightly before serving, about 10 minutes.

KARTOFFELKLOESSE (GERMAN POTATO DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Trim crusts off bread and save them for another use.
• Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes and fry in butter and oil mixture until golden brown, transfer to paper towel to dry.
• Cook scrubbed, unpeeled potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 45 minutes.
• Drain.
• Cool slightly.
• Peel.
• Cut potatoes into large pieces.
• Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Mash potatoes with fork or run through ricer into large bowl.
• Mix in salt and nutmeg.
• Add 1/2 cup flour and cornstarch.
• Using hands, knead mixture in bowl until smooth dough forms, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky.
• Mix in egg.
• Form dough into balls, using 1/4 cupful for each.
• Insert bread cube into center of each dumpling; roll dumpling between palms to enclose bread cube completely and form smooth balls.
• Working in batches, cook dumplings in large pot of nearly boiling salted water 10-15 minutes (or until dumplings rise to top).
• Using slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to large bowl.
• Keep covered with a damp kitchen towel as remaining dumplings are cooked.
• You should place no more than 4-5 dumplings in your pot at any one time in order to prevent them from sticking together or touching during cooking, which will cause them to fall apart.

GERMAN SAUERKRAUT AND POTATO BALLS

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a medium sized saucepan and cover with water; salt lightly.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until fork-tender; drain.
• Place potatoes in a large bowl and mash; then allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Stir onions, drained sauerkraut, egg, salt, pepper, caraway, flour, and breadcrumbs into potatoes, forming a thick mixture.
• Pour some flour in a small bowl; do likewise to some bread crumbs.
• Beat 2 eggs in a small bowl also, set aside (Add more egg later if necessary).
• Heat deep fryer or oil (several inches deep in a frying skillet) to a temperature of 350 degrees.
• Take heaping tablespoonfuls of the potato mixture and roll in flour.
• Then coat with egg, then roll in bread crumbs.
• Do the same with several others.
• Fry balls (which should be the size of large meatballs) in small batches for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown.
• Drain on paper toweling, and serve hot.
• Makes 25 extra-large balls, or enough to serve about 6 people.