Mom’s Potato Dumplings (revised)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Heres my revised version of my mothers recipe for potato dumplings
with her tricks that I didnt write down when she gave me the basic
recipe:  Source: Roberta Brisson  Peel and cut each potato into eight
pieces (The Czech cookbooks I have  seen, all cook the potatoes in the
skin. I guess my mom didnt learn  it this way from her mother-in-law.)
Cook in boiling water. When  done, drain water off and mash potatoes.
However, if you cooked them  with the skins on, let the potatoes cool,
peel and rice them. Let the  potatoes get cold (my feeling is the
cooler the better). This is a  very important step, because if you dont
you will need to add more  flour and adding more flour will make the
dumplings become sinkers!  (However, if potatoes are very moist, more
flour will be needed.)  Gather the mashed potatoes into a mound and
form a well in the  center. Beat the egg with the salt. Pour into the
well in the center  of the mashed potatoes. Work the potatoes and eggs
together with your  hands, gradually adding 3 cups of flour. Knead
together until a  smooth dough is achieved. Knead in additional flour
as necessary  until the dough is no longer sticky. Keep your hands and
the work  surface dusted with flour the whole time. Cut the dough into
3 equal  parts. Continue to dust dough, hands, and work surface as long
as the  dough feels sticky. Roll each portion into a long loaf. Cut
into  equal parts, about 1 1/2 to 2-inches in width. Roll each dumpling
into an elongated shape and place on dusted board, and cover with a
flour sack towel. Repeat this step until all the dumplings are made.
Cook in boiling salted water for about 15 minutes. Gently stir the
dumplings in the pot, so they dont stick to the bottom of the pan.
Take one out and cut in half to see if done, by slicing in half.
(Remember, what my mother said, "If it is soft and mushy in the
center, theyre not done. Let them cook longer. Dumplings should have  a
dry look with holes when they are done.") If not, cook an  additional 5
minutes and check to see if done. If there were any  leftover
dumplings, she would fry them up in butter and serve as a  side dish.
Now, if this has you discouraged, Ill giving you my cousins recipe  for
NO FAIL BREAD DUMPLINGS, Recipe #2  Posted to recipelu-digest Volume 01
Number 634 by QueenBerta@aol.com  on Jan 29, 1998

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