Knedlík, Bohemian dumplings

When in August 2013 cycling the Elbe cycle path, on the route between Prague and Dresden, in one of my many rest stops I stopped for a beer and a snack at the Penzion Hofmannu of Dedibaby, managed by Mr. Jan Ŝimak. Seeing how interested I was observing his preparations for adventurers, he invited me into his kitchen to show me how he prepared knedlik, Bohemian dumplings.

I could not fail to mention carefully ingredients and recipe that reminded me, the latter, cooking Chinese Baozi!
As soon as I got home I repeated it making some small variations, mainly replacing half of the durum wheat semolina with an equal amount of Manitoba flour.

The following is my version: those who have tried it have found it excellent.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Pour and mix the semolina and Manitoba flour in the mixer; crumble the yeast and mix it with half the water (just warm), the sugar and two tbsp of the mixed flours.
Leave to rise for 10 '/ 15' minutes in a warm place and then pour into the mixer, gradually adding the chosen food fat, the remaining water and, only last, the salt.
Stir until the dough comes off the sides of the container; at this point leave it to rise, covered, for an hour: it will more or less double in volume.

Meanwhile, cut stale bread into cubes.
After the rising hour, knead the dough again by hand, incorporating the bread cubes. Form a rough cylinder and leave to rest covered for another hour.

Place the cylinder leavened in a container for steam cooking and cook over boiling water to cook 15 '/ 20.

Cut the dumpling into thick slices and ...

... accompany it with dishes with a lot of sauce (stews, goulash, braised meats, or, as in the photo, with a mushroom ragout!)

SUGGESTIONS:

• Recipe, text only: to print or download.
• The diced bread can be used as is or toasted in a pan with a little butter.
• fat: it serves to make the pastry more shortcrust and, in a preparation like this, it should be used in moderation; depending on taste, use lard or clarified butter; the olive oil here, alas, does not pay.
• Although knedlík is often prepared as a large cylinder, I have also seen it prepared in the shape of a large ball or cooked in shape, always steamed, in order to give it the shape of a loaf of bread.

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