Old Country Dumplings German Bullets 2 Ways Food

OLD COUNTRY DUMPLINGS (GERMAN BULLETS) - 2 WAYS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the flour, eggs and water with your hands. Knead the dough in the bowl until it is one large ball of dough. It shouldn't be too dry and just a tiny bit sticky. If you find it's too dry or too wet, add a very small amount of water or flour until you get the right consistency. Set bowl aside.
• Add bacon and onion to large frying pan. Stir frequently over medium heat until bacon is cooked and onion is slightly browned. When done, place bacon and onions on paper towls on a plate. Do NOT wipe out the pan - you need the fat for frying. Return half the bacon mixture to the pan.
• With kitchen shears, cut dough into 4 or 5 large pieces. Between your palms, flatten dough into a large flat circle, about 1 inch thick. Cut pieces of dough into similar, bite sized pieces onto a tea towel. It's OK if they dry for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add potatoes, cook for 10 minutes, until just tender. Remove potatoes and set aside.
• Add dumplings to boiling water. You can do this by dropping them in a few at a time or fill up a spatula with dumplings and add to water. Make sure to stir them up in case some are sticking together. When they float, they are done, only a few minutes. Strain some of the dumplings into a colander, keeping half of them in the pot. *** Make sure you keep enough cooking water in the pot to cover about 3/4 of the soup dumplings.
• Ensure that half of the dumplings are in the soup and half in the pan with the bacon and onions. Add the potatoes to the soup and the bacon and onion mixture that you set aside. Add milk and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, you can turn it down to low. Salt and pepper to taste.
• While waiting for the soup to boil, fry the dumplings in the pan with the bacon and onion. Add eggs and stir to coat the dumplings. Let egg cook through. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Your 2 versions of dumplings are now ready! I usually have the soup first and then the fried ones second, in the same bowl. Some people like to get the soup and put the fried ones on top. Any way you like it - there are no rules!
• It is a good idea to leave out salt and pepper so everyone can add it to their taste.

POTATO DUMPLINGS (SINKERS)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients with clean hands.
• Roll dough out into a"tube" shape on a floured surface.
• Cut into 1" dumplings.
• Drop dumplings into a large soup pot filled with boiling water.
• Boil 20 minutes.

HOMELY OLD-TIME DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Make sure you have a large pot of water or broth heating up before you begin- you want to have it boiling by the time you are finished mixing the batter.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Grab a fork in one hand, and have your milk in a small pitcher in the other hand.
• Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture in a steady stream,while tossing very quickly with the fork to combine the ingredients just until they are moistened.
• Press out any big lumps, but the batter should not be perfectly smooth.
• Don't overmix or you'll end up with very pasty dumplings.
• Have a large potful of boiling water (or chicken broth) ready to go.
• Drop heaping spoonfuls of batter into the boiling liquid- you should have enough for 8-12 scoops (bearing in mind that they grow a bit while cooking).
• Cover firmly with tight lid and let cook 12 minutes exactly with no peeking under the lid (If your lid isn't very tight, the starchy liquid can seep out the sides).
• Scoop cooked dumplings out of pot using a slotted spoon and serve with stew ladled over them or add to soup.
• They will be large and look like wet,odd shaped balls- they aren't very attractive.
• To test for doneness, poke a drained dumpling with a toothpick- it should come out fairly clean and the middle of the dumpling should be tender but not goopy (you can also cut one in half).

GERMAN YEAST DUMPLINGS HEFEKLOSSE

Steps:

• To make 12 dumplings.
• Pour the lukewarm water into a small bowl and sprinkle it with the yeast and sugar.
• Let it stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar completely.
• Set in a warm, draft free place (such as a turned-off oven with pilot light on) for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture almost doubles in volume.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg with a large spoon until it is smooth and well mixed.
• Beat in the 4 tablespoons of melted butter, and the warm milk, salt, nutmeg and yeast solution.
• Then add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Mix with the spoon or your hands until the dough is firm enough to be gathered into a compact ball.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it by pushing it down with the heels of your hands, pressing it forward and folding it back on itself.
• Repeat this procedure for about 10 minutes, lightly flouring the surface from time to time to prevent the dough from sticking.
• when the dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a bowl coated with 1 teaspoon of soft butter, drape it with a towel and let it rise in a warm draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in bulk.
• Then punch the dough down with a sharp blow of your first and knead it again for 3 or 4 minutes.
• Flour your hands lightly, pinch off pieces of the dough and shape them into 12 balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Lay the dumplings on a floured board and allow them to rise again until doubled.
• Spread a damp kitchen towel over a rack set in a large roasting pan and on it arrange the dumplings about 2 inches apart.
• Add enough water to the pan to come to within 1 inch of the rack.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, cover tightly, and reduce the heat to moderate.
• Steam the dumplings undisturbed for 20 minutes, or until they are firm to the touch.
• Serve as hot as possible on a large, heated platter.
• Traditionally the dumplings are served with meats, or stewed fruit compote.
• The Cooking of Germany Time Life.
• An alternate way to cook the dumplings is to bring a large covered kettle of water to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and drop in as many dumplings as will fit without crowding.
• When they rise to float on the top, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a platter and serve.
• My German family eats them by tearing them open with two forks, then pouring in melted butter and sprinkling with coarse white sugar.

PIONEER CUT DUMPLINGS FROM THE 1800'S

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the milk and egg, and mix until it forms a dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll out to your desired thickness for dumplings or you can roll thinner for noodles. Cut into strips, squares, or any shape you like. Let dry while you prepare broth or soup.
• Drop dumplings into boiling broth, and cook until tender. Time will depend on the thickness of the dumplings and how dry they were.

GRANDMA'S DUMPLINGS FROM SCRATCH: 100+ YEAR OLD RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix the first 6 ingredients together until combined. Slowly add the water until you form a dough. You may have to add more or less water to form the ball.
• Roll out the dumpling dough on a floured surface thin and cut into bite size pieces.
• Drop them one at a time into simmering chicken/broth. She would always drop a few then wait a bit, then drop a few more. She said this kept them from sticking together in the end. After they are all added, give a gentle stir (once or twice around the pot, then leave it alone).
• Let the dumplings simmer in the chicken/broth mixture until they float to the top (about 15 minutes or so). I have let them simmer a longer, and that's fine. She would taste the broth one last time after the dumplings were done for seasoning before we got to eat them!