Photo by Dora Kazmierak
Potato dumplings are a fantastic way to use up leftover potatoes. You can also make these with sweet potatoes, or add different cheeses to the mix. The dumplings have great texture — soft like little pillows on the inside, but crispy on the outside. And the sage butter is a recipe I learned while living in Italy. It pairs perfectly with these cheese dumplings, or with egg tagliolini. Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients
For the potato dumplings:
- 2-1⁄4 pounds whole russet potatoes, washed
- 2-1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 9 ounces (about 2 cups) Coolea cheese, or mature Gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 egg yolk
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the sage butter:
- 7 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped sage
Directions
- Place the whole potatoes in a large saucepan, with the largest ones at the bottom, and fill the pan halfway with water. Cover with a lid and place on the stove over high heat. When the water begins to boil, drain about half, leaving just enough to steam the potatoes. Steam, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until soft.
- Peel the cooked potatoes, holding them with a kitchen towel if they’re too hot. In a large bowl, mash the peeled potatoes, or put them through a potato ricer.
- Add the flour, grated cheese, and egg yolk to the potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and gently knead until well combined. Shape the dough into 3 or 4 equally sized balls.
- Dust the work surface with more flour if necessary. Using your fingertips, roll each ball of dough into a rope about 3⁄4-inch in diameter. Cut into 1-inch pieces, and then roll each piece against the tines of a fork to create ridges; this helps the sage butter cling to the dumplings once they’re cooked.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potato dumplings and cook until done. When fully cooked, they’ll rise to the surface. Quickly remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, and drain well.
- While the dumplings cook, place a skillet on the stove over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the sage, and cook until it’s crisp.
- Add the potato dumplings to the skillet and gently mix them with the sage butter. Transfer to warmed plates, and serve immediately.
More from Clodagh’s Suppers:
Reprinted with permission from Clodagh’s Suppers by Clodagh McKenna © 2019 Kyle Books, and photographs © Dora Kazmierak.
