German Potato Dumplings
Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Black pepper, to taste
2 eggs
1 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons chives, chopped (optional)
Steps
Add 2 pounds of russet potatoes to a large pot
Fill the pot with cold water, just enough to fully submerge the potatoes
Place the pot on the stove, turn the heat on high, and cover with a lid until the water comes to a rolling boil
When the water is boiling, remove the lid, and allow the potatoes to cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until fork tender
After the potatoes have finished cooking, drain the potatoes and allow them to cool
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saute pan over medium heat
Add ½ cup of plain breadcrumbs to the melted butter
Stir to coat the breadcrumbs in the butter and allow the breadcrumbs to toast until golden brown
Then turn off the heat and set the breadcrumbs aside
When the potatoes have cooled enough to handle, remove the skin off each potato and place the peeled potatoes in a large bowl. (You can use your hands to remove the skin off cooked potatoes very easily)
Mash the potatoes until they are just broken up but be careful to not over mash them so they are total mush
To the mashed potatoes, add 1 teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, and plenty of black pepper to taste
Stir the mashed potatoes with the seasonings
Add 2 eggs and mix until the eggs are just combined
Add 1 cup of cornstarch and mix with the potatoes until the cornstarch is no longer dry - be sure to not overmix the potatoes at this point
Salt some water in a large pot on the stove, turn the heat on high, and cover with a lid until the water boils
Mix the potato dough together lightly with your hands
Grab a small palmful of the potato mixture and shape it into a round ball and set aside
Continue to form your dumplings as even in size as possible until all the potato dough has been used
You should get between 10 to 12 round potato dumplings
Use a slotted spoon to individually place each dumpling in the boiling water
Allow the dumplings to boil for a few minutes, stirring gently to ensure they don’t stick to each other or the pot
When the dumplings begin floating to the top of the water, lower the stove to a gentle simmer and allow the dumplings to cook for another 15 minutes
Use a slotted spoon to remove the dumplings allowing the excess water to drain
Place the cooked potato dumplings on a separate platter
Spoon some of the golden buttered breadcrumbs on top of each dumpling
Top with some chopped chives for added color