Austrian Bohemian Serviettenknoedel Recipe

Learn today about the Austrian Bohemian Serviettenknoedel Recipe, a special dumpling recipe from Austria and some parts in Germany. These dumplings are cooked in a napkin  which means “Serviette” in German, and this is the way how they are cooked traditionally in Austria, upper Franconia and Bohemia. In Southern Germany the Knoedel will be wrapped into a napkin or some linen and steamed over boiling water. There are special metal steamers for that method available in Germany.

If you are using a napkin make sure that it has not been washed in soap or wash is several times in hot water without any soap. There should not be the slightest smell of soap in the fabric otherwise you will taste it in the Knoedel.

The Serviettenknoedel was a popular dish for weddings in the 18th century in Thuringia. It was not cooked on regular days, and used to be the food of the aristocracy. Nowadays we can cook it whenever we want, try it out. It is a traditional German dish as it can get. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients Austrian Bohemian Serviettenknoedel Recipe

(serves 4)
500 g potatoes (soft and floury)
2 carrots and half of a celery root
1 leek
5 tbsp parsley
50 g butter
100 g flour
1 medium size egg
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Cooking Instructions Austrian Bohemian Serviettenknoedel Recipe

– Boil potatoes the day before.
– Peel carrots and celery, chop both very fine; clean leek and cut in very small rings.
– Wash parsley, pat it dry on kitchen cloth or spin it, then chop very fine.
– Heat 40 g butter and saute vegetable until leek is looking somewhat transparent. Let cool off.
– Peel potatoes, grate them very fine.

– Mix potatoes with egg, flour, vegetables, parsley, salt and nutmeg until you get a dough that can be formed into a big ball (a Kloss or a Knoedel).
– Use a big fabric napkin and grease one side with butter.

– Place ball into the middle and close it like you would have a bag, knot the 4 ends of the napkin.
– Bring enough water with some salt to a boil and hang the Knoedel into the boiling water (take a wooden spoon and pull it through the knots of the napkin, place the spoon on the ends of the pot; the Knödel must hang in the water).

– Reduce heat and let Knödel simmer for about 60 minutes.
– When done, let the Knödel drain in a sieve, then cut in slices.

If you like combine with butter, fried onion rings and bacon cubes. Serve the Knoedel with a pork or beef roast that has lots of gravy. It’s a typical side dish that is served with a meat dish in a creamy gravy.

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