Kartoffelklösse Explained

Name Lang:de
Name Italics:true
Image Upright:1.2
Type:Dumpling
Course:Side dish
Place Of Origin:Germany, Austria
Region:Bavaria
Creators:-->
Served:Hot
Main Ingredient:potatoes, flour, eggs
Minor Ingredient:seasonings, fillings
Serving Size:100 g
No Recipes:true

Kartoffelklöße or Kartoffelklösse (pronounced as /de/) or Erdäpfelknödel[1] are a type of potato dumpling.[2] They often contain a crouton, ham, or sauerkraut filling.[3]

The dumplings are known throughout Germany, Switzerland, and Austria but are most common in Bavaria, Thuringia, and Rhineland. In Bavaria similar dumplings are called reiberknödel (from "to grate"), in Swabia gleeß and gneedl, in Franconia gniedla or klueß and in Austria erdäpfelknödel. The dish is also known in other northern and eastern European countries by various names.

History

According to the Register of Traditional Foodstuffs of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism, potato dumplings have been known in Austria for only a couple of centuries, as opposed to other types of dumpling which date back to at least 2500 BC and likely into the region's Neolithic period.[4] Potatoes are native to South America and were introduced to Europe during the Columbian Exchange.

Preparation and serving

Starchy or "floury" potatoes are peeled, boiled, mashed, mixed with flour, eggs, and seasonings, kneaded into a dough, and formed into dumplings. The dumplings are often stuffed with a crouton, ham, or sauerkraut filling.

The dumplings are simmered; some recipes call for them to be allowed to cool then fried. They are served hot as a side dish, often with a roast, roulade, stew, or sauerbraten, with or without a sauce or gravy.

Leftover dumplings are sometimes sliced and fried in butter or bacon fat.

Many home cooks use packaged instant dumplings.

Similar dishes

Other similar dishes are Thuringian dumplings (made from a mixture of raw and boiled potatoes) and Vogtland dumplings (made from a mixture of raw potatoes and semolina pudding).

Potato dumplings mixed with flour are also known in Scandinavian cuisine. Names include raspeball, kumle, kompe, palt or kroppkakor, pitepalt, and öländska kroppkakor.[5]

The Italian dish gnocchi, Polish kopytka, pyzy are another version of a potato-based dumpling.

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rattray . Diana . 16 April 2022 . These Scrumptious Potato Dumplings Are a German Tradition . 2022-12-25 . The Spruce Eats . en.
  2. Web site: Turner . Julia . 2022-12-21 . It isn't a holiday without my mother's family potato balls. If only she agreed . 2022-12-25 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  3. Web site: Kartoffelklöße Traditional Dumplings From Germany TasteAtlas . 2022-12-26 . www.tasteatlas.com.
  4. Web site: Knödel allgemein . 2023-01-09 . Knödel allgemein . de.
  5. Book: Notaker, Henry . Food culture in Scandinavia . 2009 . Greenwood Press . 978-0-313-34923-2 . Westport, Conn. . 428734650.