Moveable Feasts: Knödel

December 27, 2009 | Laura Carroll

The doughy and delicious knödel

After a day of play in the Alps, you may have any number of cold weather cravings. I, though, only have one.

It’s knödel(n) – also referred to klöß(e) or kartoffelknödel and prevalent throughout Germany, Austria and the Alps as a whole, though many countries in Europe have their own form of the dish.

There are some potato-based variations, but the breaded version – consisting of dried bread, milk, eggs and cheese or vegetables – is my absolute favorite. Sitting bundled up in a slope-side Austrian tavern, these hot and doughy dumplings warmed my stomach and became one of my all-time favorite dishes.

Here is one Knödel recipe to devour on a chilly day:

200 g (7 oz.) white bread

100 g (6 tbsp.) butter

250 ml (1 cup) scalded milk

2 eggs

1 onion, chopped

1 bunch of parsley, chopped

Salt, white pepper, nutmeg

Slice the bread, place in a bowl and pour the boiling milk over top. In a small saucepan, cook the onion gently in butter until it is translucent, then remove from the heat and add parsley.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients to form a smooth batter. Shape the batter and poach in water or broth for about 20 minutes. Drain and serve hot, drizzled with butter if desired.

Recipe and photo courtesy of The Worldwide Gourmet