I grew up in Silesia, a part of Poland, which – due to its turbulent history and geography – is a melting pot of Slavic and Germanic traditions.
A Sunday dinner in our house was literally unthinkable without kluski. Made with cooked potatoes they are chewy and gummy in texture and unlike any other type of dumplings. Typically kluski śląskie are served as a side dish with a sauce or the drippings of a roast goose, duck or pork roast or as a main dish with carmelized onions or bacon bits.
Both of my grandmothers and my mother always rolled them into little balls (about the size of a golf ball). I prefer them shaped with little thumbprints in the middle, which fill up with delicious sauce.
Silesian Potato Dumplings
Ingredients
- 500 g / 1.1 lbs boiled potatoes
- potato flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt (more or less)
Method
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Peel the potatoes and boil in salted water until soft. Drain and immediately rice or mash thoroughly the piping hot potatoes. Set aside and let cool down completely.
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Transfer the mashed potatoes into a shallow dish, like a soup plate, and pat them down. Take out 1/4 of the potatoes and set aside. Fill the empty space with an equal part of potato flour. Add the egg, salt, and the previously removed potatoes and using your hand combine into a soft, smooth and roll-able dough. Shape it into a ball.
The proportions of ingredients for your perfect Silesian dumplings. -
Pinch off pieces of dough and roll between the palms of your hands to the size of a golf ball. If you like, make a small depression in the middle with the tip of a wooden spoon or a finger. Set the dumplings aside.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a minimum and drop the first batch (10 – 15 dumplings) into the pot. Don’t allow the water to boil! Occasionally stir very gently with a wooden spoon. When the dumplings rise to the surface, boil an additional 3-5 minutes. Test, by cutting one dumpling in the middle, to see if it’s done. Remove with a slotted spoon to a serving dish. Repeat with remaining dumplings.
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Serve immediately.
