Recipes

Louise Keyes' Czech Yeast-Raised Dumplings

3 Tbsp. Red Star® dry Yeast
6–7 cups flour, all-purpose
1 cup lukewarm water, approximately (a total of about 2–1/4 cups)
3-4 tsp salt
Pinch sugar
2 eggs

1. Sift all-purpose flour and 3 to 4 tsp salt into a bowl and make a well in the center. Into the well, stir 3 Tbsp Red Star® active dry yeast, a pinch of sugar and about 1 cup lukewarm water, preferably unchlorinated. After practice you will get the feel of the amount of flour and water to get the desired texture for a dough slightly softer than bread dough. The yeast/water mixture should start to bubble in about 2 minutes. Now add the 2 eggs and more warm water as needed. Stir thoroughly and knead into dough with a wooden dough paddle (like we used to make homemade bread when we were growing up). Knead until the dough is just slightly softer than for bread.
2. Let dough rise only slightly - about 5 minutes. Cut dough into 6 or 8 equal portions. Knead each portion well or ‘til smooth, and shape into long, but small loaves that will fit in your pot, about 6-inches long by 2-inches in diameter works well. Leave to rise on floured board about 10 minutes, or ‘til they increase in size by 1/4 to 1/3.
3. Drop into salted boiling water (an oblong, heavy roaster like Magnalite® works best) and cover immediately. Do not lift lid, and boil 15 minutes, after which you lift them out to drain on a wire rack, sponging with paper towels to pick up excess water.
4. Cut with thread (or unwaxed dental floss) crisscrossed in your hands. Slip thread under the dumpling, bringing the ends up and crossing them, thus cutting the slice. An electric knife works fine. Just be sure to cool bread some first before slicing.
5. Repeat with 2 more loaves (2 usually fit) and if water level gets too low, add more, heating it well before dropping in loaves.

Makes 6—8 loaves
Preparation Time: 75 minutes

Notes: If you can’t find Red Star®, any active dry yeast such as Fleischmann’s® or SAF® should work fine. Texture of dough should be soft, but not sticky, and easy to work, similar to sweet bread dough. Don’t even be tempted to peek at the dumplings while they boil. A foot-long piece of flossing thread works well for slicing the dumplings.