Semolina dumpling soup is a classic of Viennese cuisine and is also one of the typical dishes of Bavarian cuisine. It consists of beef soup, semolina dumplings and chives – a good dish to make for a cold day!
Ingredients:
5 ½ tablespoons (80g) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
⅔ cup (130g) white semolina (wheat farina, cream of wheat)
¼ teaspoon fine salt
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon chopped flat parsley
Beef or vegetable stock (about 4 cups)
Chopped chives to garnish
Instructions:
Beat softened butter with an electric hand mixer until creamy, about 1 minute.
Gradually add half of the beaten eggs, then half of the semolina. Add the remaining eggs, semolina, nutmeg, salt and parsley and mix until well combined. The mixture should be soft and creamy.
Put the batter into the fridge and let it rest for 15 minutes, so it gets firm.
Bring a wide pot of generously salted water to a boil. Reduce temperature to medium-low. The water should simmer gently but not be boiling or the dumplings will fall apart.
Dip two tablespoons (to avoid sticking) into hot water and form tight, oval quenelles with the aid of 2 tablespoons, so they end up with three clear edges and a smooth surface. If this is too difficult, you can wet your hands and shape them. The important thing is that they need to be really tightly shaped. Don’t make them too big, as they will double in bulk.
Note: If you left the batter in the fridge for too long or if it is kind of hard to shape the Nockerl because the batter is to stiff, stir the batter with a fork before you shape them. That usually helps.
Drop the formed dumplings into the simmering water. If you are using a rather small pot, don’t overcrowd it, because the dumplings will plump up.
Cook the dumplings in barely simmering water for 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to the lowest possible and let them steep for another 10-15 minutes. By now, they should have doubled in volume. Try one dumpling, if it is still quiet firm in the center, let them steep for a couple more minutes. The dumplings should be soft but not mushy.
Meanwhile heat the stock. When the dumplings are done, transfer them with a slotted spoon into soup bowls. Add a ladle of stock and serve sprinkled with chopped chive.
This recipe is also available on our YouTube Channel!
Credit: Little Vienna
