Kopytka Polish Potato Dumplings Recipes

Steps:

• Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water until they are tender.
• Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool.
• Process the potatoes through a ricer (or just mash them until there are no lumps)
• Place the potatoes in a bowl.
• Add about 1 1/2 cup of flour, 1 egg, and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Mix by hand until the ingredients are combined.
• Add more flour, as needed, until the mixture becomes a soft dough consistency.
• Flour a flat working surface, transfer the dough to the surface, and knead the dough until it is smooth and pliable.
• Cut a small chunk of the dough and using your hands roll it out into a "snake" that is about 1 inch thick.
• Cut the rolled out dough on a diagonal into approximately 1/2 inch pieces.
• Repeat until you have the desired amount of pieces or you use up all the dough.
• Boil water in a large pot.
• When the water boils add salt.
• Drop the dough pieces into the boiling water. Do not overcrowd the pot.
• Allow the pieces to float to the surface and boil for another 3-5 minutes.
• Remove the kopytka from the water using a slotted spoon.
• Repeat until all are cooked.
• Serve with one of the toppings listed below or with mushroom gravy.
• ONION TOPPING:
• Melt butter in a pan.
• Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Saute the onions until they are a nice golden color.
• Serve over the kopytka.
• BREADCRUMB TOPPING:
• Melt butter into a pan.
• Add breadcrumbs.
• Allow the breadcrumbs to brown slightly.
• The consistency of this mixture should be moist, yet crumbly.
• Add more butter melted butter if needed.
• Serve over the kopytka.

Steps:

• Start a 4-6 quart pot of water to boil. Using lots of water for the dumplings to swim in is very important. When it starts to boil, salt the water liberally. Keep covered and on a simmer while mixing the potatoes so it's ready to boil when you are ready to make the dumplings.
• Peel then grate potatoes with a grating blade (smallest holes) in a food processor. Remove any chunks. Strain potatoes in a strainer (not a colander) until water from potatoes is removed. Press on the potatoes to remove as much water as possible. The more water left in the potatoes, the more flour you'll need and you'll have less potato taste in the end.
• Put potatoes in a large bowl and add salt. Mix with a rubber spatula or large spoon.
• Lightly mix eggs in a cup with a fork and add to potatoes. Mix.
• Add flour to potatoes, starting with 1 cup. Mix and continue to add flour until the potatoes are the consistency between pancake batter and bread dough. You shouldn't be able to pour it but you shouldn't be able to knead it either. If you wish, taste potato mixture to check salt.
• Cut bacon into 1/2-1 inch chunks. Fry in a high-sided frying pan on medium heat until limp, not crunchy. Set aside off heat or on lowest heat.
• Bring water back to boil. The water shouldn't be a full rolling boil. It will cause the dumplings to fall apart. Keep the water at just a gentle boil.
• Test one dumpling by using a teaspoon and drop in a dollop of potato mixture (about the size of a large cherry). It will plump up. See if the dumpling holds together. It should sink to the bottom of the pot and when cooked fully it will float. If it falls apart (water starts to fill with bits of potato mixture) add more flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Test again until it holds together.
• The water will become cloudy and little bits of potato will appear over the course of boiling the dumplings. This is normal. The dumplings will look shaggy, not round or perfect. You can stir them gently during cooking to keep them from sticking together.
• As the dumplings float, take them out with a slotted spoon or strainer and put directly in the bacon pan. Mix all the dumplings in the bacon pan until coated with bacon grease. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve.
• Save a cup of potato water and add as needed to dumplings when reheating the next day.