Bread dumplings

Classic Czech bread dumplings (houskový knedlík) — light, steamed and made for soaking up sauce; the essential Czech side.

Ingredients

• plain flour500 g
• milk250 ml
• yeast20 g
• eggs1 pcs
• stale bread roll2 pcs
• salt1 tsp

Method

1. Activate the yeast. Warm the milk to about 37°C — it should feel just comfortably warm on your wrist, not hot. Crumble in the fresh yeast, stir briefly, and leave for 5–10 minutes until frothy and fragrant.
2. Cube the bread rolls. Cut the stale bread rolls into roughly 1 cm cubes. Stale bread is essential here — fresh rolls will turn soggy and collapse into the dough.
3. Mix the dough. Tip the flour and salt into a large bowl, make a well, and pour in the yeasty milk along with the egg. Mix together, then knead firmly for 5–8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from the bowl. Fold in the bread cubes and work them through evenly.
4. Prove the dough. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm spot for about 20 minutes, until the dough has noticeably puffed up.
5. Shape the dumplings. Divide the dough into two equal portions and roll each one into a tight, smooth cylinder about 8–9 cm in diameter. A compact, even shape ensures they cook through uniformly.
6. Steam until cooked. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then fit a steamer basket or rack above the water. Place the dumplings in, cover tightly, and steam for 20–25 minutes — they should look matte on the surface and feel firm but springy when gently pressed.
7. Rest and slice. Lift the dumplings out and use a piece of kitchen string or a sharp knife to slice them into rounds about 2 cm thick — string gives a neater, less compressed cut. Serve immediately alongside any saucy Czech main, cut-side up to catch the sauce.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Check dumplings are cooked through. An undercooked dumpling will be doughy and gluey in the centre. If in doubt, cut one open after 20 minutes — the interior should be uniformly light and airy with no raw, dense core before serving.