Bettina's Kitchen Stories: Vegetable Dumplings
Savoury, traditional, and simply unmistakable: few dishes represent South Tyrol quite like canederli (dumplings). And if anyone knows how to prepare them best, it's Barbara Prantl: home cook, author, and popular food influencer with a passion for South Tyrolean cuisine. Join us as we reinterpret this classic dish with Barbara.
Vegetable Dumplings
Ingredients for around 16 dumplings (canederli):
- 300g stale white bread, cut into small cubes
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp butter for sautéing
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- ½ red pepper
- 1 carrot
- 200ml milk
- 250g ricotta or quark
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- Cheese of your choice (easily melted), cut into cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve:
- Grated Parmesan
- Melted butter
- Chopped chives
Method:
Place the stale bread in a large bowl. Add the flour and chopped parsley and mix well.
Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté in a pan with the butter. Dice the leek, pepper, and carrot into small pieces, add them to the onion, and cook for a few minutes. Season well with salt and pepper – the vegetables should remain slightly crisp.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Add the vegetables to the bread. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, ricotta, eggs, and salt. Pour this mixture over the bread and mix well with a spoon until the dough is evenly combined.
Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the cheese into cubes and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
With wet hands, take a portion of the dough, place a cheese cube in the centre, and shape into a compact, smooth ball. Press firmly while shaping.
Cook the dumplings in gently simmering salted water for about 15 minutes.
Serve with grated Parmesan, melted butter, and chives.
