Potato Dumplings - Coltunasi

Elena Butuc

They are the delight of my childhood - my grandmother used to make potato dumplings on Sundays and we would all gather around the big table. They are very easy to prepare, with cheap, basic ingredients - which you can vary as you like. Here I made dumplings with potato filling, they are also made with farmer's cheese, sauerkraut, mushrooms, sour cherries etc.

Dumplings can also be a delicious vegetarian recipe. Don't put eggs in the dough, prepare it only with water and you'll have some good vegetarian food. We make potato dumplings (we serve them with garlic or vegan mayonnaise), with sauerkraut, with sauteed mushrooms and, definitely, with sour cherries!

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Ingredients

Metric US

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White flour

500 g

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Egg

2 pieces

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White onion

2 pieces

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Sunflower oil

200 ml

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Salt

1 tbsp

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Potato filling for dumplings and pies

1 kg

Step by step

In a deep bowl, combine flour, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat 1 glass of water and start to gently knead the dough with your hands - pour water as you knead, until all the flour is incorporated.

When all the flour is mixed in, stop pouring water so that the dough won't be too soft. Continue to knead the dough for another 5 minutes.

Then turn dough out onto the table, dusted with flour and shape into a ball. Cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

Knead the dough once more and form 2 balls. Let them soften for 10 minutes, to make it easier to work.

Sprinkle with flour over the table and the dough and roll out one ball of dough into a 2-3mm thick sheet. Don't forget to dust with flour while rolling it, so that it doesn't stick to the table.

Using a knife, cut out into squares, about 3x3cm.

Place some potato filling in the centre of the square, bring together the opposite edges and seal them in the shape of a triangle or corners.

Sprinkle with plenty of flour on a cutting board or a platter and place the dumplings here as you make them. You can boil them right after you shape all of them or later, but keep them in the fridge. Also, you can freeze the dumplings and boil whenever you need.

Bring to the boil plenty of water, 3-4 liters, with salt. When it comes to the boil, drop the dumplings into water but not too many at a time - it's better to boil them in 2-3 turns if you have more. Mix carefully with a spoon and, when it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low. Simmer for no more than 3-4 minutes, otherwise they won't stay whole, they will break.

Meanwhile, peel, wash and finely chop the onion and cook it in lots of oil until golden brown.

Remove from water using a skimmer or a strainer and place in a large bowl, adding 1-2 tablespoons of onion cooked in oil between the dumplings, so that they don't stick. After removing all of them, shake the bowl well, so that each dumpling is well coated.

And now, dinner is served, fast! The dumplings are eaten warm or well heated in a frying pan, together with plenty of sour cream...