In the heart of northern Croatia, a culinary gem awaits: farmers cheese dumplings, known as "knedle sa sirom" in the local dialect. These dumplings are a symphony of flavors, textures, and tradition, embodying the region's rich culinary heritage. Made with fresh farmer's cheese, flour, eggs, and a touch of salt, these dumplings are lovingly handcrafted and simmered in a savory broth, resulting in a dish that is both comforting and utterly delightful.
The article presents two enticing variations of this classic recipe: the traditional "knedle sa sirom" and a tantalizing roasted version. The traditional dumplings are boiled and served with a simple yet flavorful broth, while the roasted dumplings are baked to perfection, creating a crispy exterior and a soft, pillowy interior. Both versions promise an unforgettable culinary experience that will transport you to the heart of Croatian countryside.
NORTH CROATIAN FARMERS CHEESE DUMPLINGS
This is very old recipe, mostly forgotten. Today, everyone makes potato dumplings or gnocchi, but believe me, this one are much better. Even more, you can eat them as a side dish to meat and sauces, also you can eat as a full lunch and even as a dessert - you just have to put sugar and cinnamon over. You can add whatever you want, poppy seeds, and raisins, chocolate or vanilla sauce. Perfect dessert. It is also very simple with just few ingredients. Note: for vegetarians, skip lard you can use oil as well.
Provided by nitko
Categories Dessert
Time 15m
Yield 8 portions, 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Mix well whole eggs and lard. Drain the cheese and add into eggs. Add whole semolina, mix well and leave at least two hours in refrigerator. Longer it stays in refrigerator, better dumplings.
- Heat large pot with water until it boils. Keep boiling.
- Soak your hands in cold water and make balls; Golf-ball size. Put them one after another into boiling water and cook until they start to float on the surface and than 3-5 more minutes. It really depends how hard are your dumplings (that means you have to stick to the recipe).
- To serve as a side dish to meat and sauce, fry some breadcrumbs on butter and put the dumplings into the pan, and fry with breadcrumbs just to stick it to the dumplings. Serve warm.
CROATIAN BREAD DUMPLINGS
I am submitting this after a recipe request for this meal. It is usual side dish we eat with sauerkraut, "sekeli goulash" or other meat goulash or paprikas recipes. It is very easy. This is recipe from Cooking High School from Zagreb, Second year. I have added parmesan because my experience says it will coagulate better and would prevent eventual crumbling while cooking. This amount of ingredients is for feeding a platoon, so for domestic use reduce ingredients.
Provided by nitko
Categories Breads
Time 40m
Yield 30 dumplings, 25 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Remove crust from bread. Cut the rest of bread into small cubes and dry them in oven. They must become crunchy.
- Make dough mixing milk, flour, eggs, parmesan and salt. Pour over crunchy bread.
- Finely mince onion. Cut bacon into small pieces and fry them but not too much. Bacon will drain some lard, so add oil and sauté onion until becomes translucent. Add parsley leaves and bacon and put it into dough.
- Mix well and leave at least half an hour in refrigerator.
- Make balls with your hand. They must be not larger than tenis balls. To do it better, put your hands in cold water before you form each ball. Put balls into boiling water and cook about 20 minutes. The balls must float, that is the indication they are done.
- Before serving fry in a frying pan some breadcrumbs on butter. Put bread balls on hot butter just for few seconds to cover them with breadcrumbs. For four persons reduce amount of ingredients to 1/4.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 207.9, Fat 6.4, SaturatedFat 2.5, Cholesterol 59.2, Sodium 812, Carbohydrate 29.8, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 2.1, Protein 7.2
FARMER CHEESE DUMPLINGS
Provided by Andrej A. Fritz
Categories Cheese Side Vegetarian Kid-Friendly Shavuot Sour Cream Parsley Boil Gourmet Sugar Conscious Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher Small Plates
Yield Makes 12 side-dish or 6 main-course servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Make dough:
- Stir together flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in flour mixture and add egg, oil, and water, then gently beat with a fork, gradually incorporating shallow scrapings from inside flour wall to form a dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface, adding just enough flour to prevent dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Rinse a 2-quart bowl with hot water and dry it, then invert over dough. Let dough stand, covered, 30 to 60 minutes.
- Make cheese filling:
- Stir together farmer cheese, sour cream, egg yolks, salt, and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs in a bowl. Beat egg whites in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold whites into cheese mixture gently but thoroughly.
- Roll and fill dough:
- Bring an 8- to 10-quart pot of salted water (see Tips, page 141) to a boil.
- Meanwhile, cover table with tablecloth, allowing cloth to hang over edges, and dust cloth lightly with flour (it isn't necessary to dust overhang). Lightly flour dough and roll out on cloth with rolling pin, as evenly as possible, into a 24- by 20-inch rectangle, so that a long side of rectangle is nearest you. Dough should be thin enough for you to see any pattern on tablecloth.
- Gently brush dough with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Divide cheese filling into 2 mounds on dough on left and right sides. Spread filling into 2 side-by-side 18- by 10-inch rectangles (with a short side of each cheese rectangle nearest you), leaving a 2-inch space between rectangles and a 1-inch border around outer edges.
- Holding tablecloth edge nearest you tautly, lift up cloth to make dough roll over on itself (away from you). Continue rolling, lifting tablecloth and pulling it toward you until dough is completely rolled (there is no need to use your hands to roll the dough). Cut into 2 rolls through 2-inch space between fillings.
- Carefully transfer 1 roll using a metal spatula onto center of 1 piece of cheesecloth. Fold cheesecloth over roll to cover top and wrap roll, then twist ends of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string about 1 inch from each end. (Excess cloth on ends helps in lifting roll when boiled.) Wrap second roll in same manner.
- Cook rolls in boiling water (rolls will float), partially covered, 15 minutes. Transfer with a large slotted spoon or skimmer to a shallow baking pan and cool 3 minutes. Cut off kitchen string and unwrap cheesecloth, then transfer rolls to a platter with a metal spatula. Trim off and discard ends of rolls, then drizzle rolls with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices.
CROATIAN PLUM DUMPLINGS (KNEDLI OD SLJIVA)
As with the plum jam, this recipe also uses "bistrica" plums. Of course, other kind of blue plums can be used, but with "bistrica" the dumplings will give the most of it. There are two ways of making this meal: either with the stone or without (if you make without the stone replace it with sugar cube). I usually make with the stone to keep the plum consistent. The dough is usual potato dough as you make for gnocchi.
Provided by nitko
Categories Dessert
Time 1h40m
Yield 40 dumplings, 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cook potato in skin until soft (like for potato salad). When ready peal the skin and mash potato on flat surface. Be careful it is very hot.
- Add butter (crush it a bit to speed melting), flour, semolina, nutmeg and salt. Make it into a dough, and when cools it a bit add two eggs. You will think now that you make a big mistake because it will turn very wet, but you have to be firm and continue to make dough. It is OK to add more flour.
- The right amount of flour will be clear to you after you make this several times, this is amount I usually put. It also depends on quality of potato; some are softer than others. When the dough is firm, but soft enough, make the dumplings.
- Cut a piece of dough and roll around cleaned and washed plum. The dough shouldn't be more than 1 cm thick. If you make it without plum stone, break the plum into half, remove the stone and put a sugar cube instead. After that, do as previously mention.
- At this point you can freeze the whole amount of dumplings, but do it on flat surface making sure they don't touch. After they freeze, you can put them in a bag.
- If you want to cook them right away, use large pot, fill with water up to 2/3 and add some oil. When water boils, put the dumplings into the water and cook until they start to float on the surface. You may use a toothpick to check if they are soft.
- In the meantime melt butter in a frying pan and fry some breadcrumbs. When removing dumplings from the pot put them into hot butter with breadcrumbs and fry them just a bit to reduce surplus of water.
- You may serve them as a desert, but also as a lunch, of course amount of dumplings will differ in both cases.
- When you open the dumplings, you may put some sugar over it and also some grounded cinnamon. Some people add sour cream over dumplings, but I don't like it that way.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 650, Fat 18.1, SaturatedFat 10.3, Cholesterol 93, Sodium 551.8, Carbohydrate 108.2, Fiber 9, Sugar 15.1, Protein 15.2
Tips:
- For the best results, use fresh, high-quality ingredients.
- Make sure the cottage cheese is well-drained before using it.
- If you don't have a potato ricer, you can mash the potatoes with a fork or food processor.
- Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this will make the dumplings tough.
- Drop the dumplings into the boiling water gently, using a slotted spoon.
- Cook the dumplings until they float to the top and are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Serve the dumplings immediately with your favorite toppings, such as melted butter, sour cream, or chives.
Conclusion:
These North Croatian Farmers Cheese Dumplings are a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a hearty meal. The dumplings are made with simple ingredients and are cooked in a flavorful broth. They can be served with a variety of toppings, making them a versatile dish that can be enjoyed by everyone.
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