Zwetschgenknödel
Zwetschgenknödel, known as canederli di prugne in Italian, are sweet potato dumplings encasing whole damsons, rolled in golden cinnamon-buttered breadcrumbs.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 440 kcal
Equipment
- •Potato ricer
- •Large saucepan
- •Frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
- •Mixing bowl
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 7 g
- calories
- 440 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the unpeeled potatoes in lightly salted water until knife-tender, about 25 minutes.
- 2
Peel the potatoes while hot and pass them immediately through a potato ricer.
- 3
Allow the riced potatoes to cool to lukewarm on a clean worktop.
- 4
Slit each plum lengthwise on one side, remove the stone, and insert a sugar cube dusted with a pinch of cinnamon.
- 5
Add flour, softened butter, egg yolk, and salt to the cooled potatoes.
- 6
Knead gently and swiftly until a pliable dough forms without overworking.
- 7
Divide the dough into eight equal portions on a lightly floured surface.
- 8
Flatten each piece, wrap it securely around a stuffed plum, and roll smoothly into a seamless round ball.
- 9
Gently simmer the dumplings in a wide pot of lightly salted boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes until they float.
- 10
Melt remaining butter in a frying pan, add breadcrumbs, and toast until golden and aromatic.
- 11
Stir caster sugar and remaining cinnamon into the hot toasted breadcrumbs.
- 12
Lift cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon and roll thoroughly in the sweet buttered crumbs to serve.
Chef's tips
Handle the dough as little as possible so it remains light and delicate rather than gluey. Ensure the fruit is entirely enclosed in dough with no cracks, preventing plum juices from leaking into the simmering water.
Ingredient substitutions
- Zwetschgen (prune plums) → ripe small apricots to make the equally traditional Marillenknödel
- Sugar cubes → half a teaspoon of granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon inside each plum
Storage
Cooked dumplings are best eaten fresh, but can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Steam gently for 5 minutes, then roll in freshly toasted buttered crumbs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overworking the warm potato dough, which releases excess starch and makes the dumplings tough.
- •Simmering at a rolling boil instead of a gentle simmer, which breaks the dumplings apart.
Serving suggestions
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