Serviettenknödel

Ingredients

• 300g stale white bread or bread rolls, cut into small cubes
• 250ml milk, warm
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 30g butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• pinch of nutmeg

In the photo we made this with left over sourdough bread, which gives it a nice tangy flavor. You can use any type of bread you have on hand, but make sure it’s a bit stale so it absorbs the milk better. In the case of the sourdough, we needed an extra splash of milk as it took more liquid to soften the drier bread. If your bread is very fresh, you may want to toast it lightly before cubing to help it dry out a bit.

Directions

• Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and pour over the warm milk. Leave for 10 minutes to soak.
• In a pan, melt the butter and cook the onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add to the bread mixture.
• Add eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix gently until combined. If the dough is too loose to hold shape, mix in a little flour.
• Form the dough into a compact log on a clean kitchen towel. Roll it up tightly and tie both ends with kitchen string.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Add the wrapped dumpling and cook for 35-40 minutes.
• Remove, unwrap carefully, and let rest for 2-3 minutes.

Note

This dish is a favourite of Malia’s, although she pefers it when her Oma makes it. You can also make this from that cheap ‘toast’ bread you can get in the supermarket, which makes the flavour more neutral and the kids like it even more.

It’s also great the next day fried in claried butter until crispy on the outside.