Franconian Potato Dumplings – Local Specialty

Franconian Potato Dumplings or as we say in German “Fränkische Kartoffelknödel”  is a regional German recipe from Franconia, the Frankenland. This recipe is very local and comes form the German restaurant “Jagstmuehle”  – Go here to the Jagstmuehle website –
To make these Potato dumplings you need some time. Important in this recipe is that you use raw and boiled potatoes. That is the main difference. Some would call these dumplings “half and half”. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients Franconican Potato Dumplings

(serves 4)
15 medium sized potatoes (eg Russet potatoes would be good)
5 tbsp potato starch
1 splash white wine vinegar
200 ml milk
nutmeg, salt, white pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped parsley and marjoram (optional)
For the filling:
1-2 wheat rolls, white or dark bread or Backerbsen (see below)
60 g Butter

Cooking Instructions Franconian Potato Dumplings

– Boil 5 potatoes, peel and let cool off.
– Peel 10 potatoes and grate them into cold vinegar water (use white wine vinegar).
– The grated potatoes must be drained in a clean kitchen cloth.
– Keep the water and let it sit for 30 min. You will see that the potato starch will settle on the bottom of the pan. You will use this starch later.

  Makes a great Birthday Gift Box – From LoveGermanFood.com

– Place raw potatoes into a bowl.
– Bring milk to a boil and pour over potatoes.
– Carefully pour out the water and keep the starch (you will see the white residue on the bottom); add to the potatoes.
– Press boiled potatoes through a potato press or mash them very well; add to raw potatoes.
– Add the starch and spice very well.

–  The dough should be moist so it won’t stick at the bowl’s edges anymore. Keep in mind that you want to form Knoedel out of it.
– Cut rolls or bread into small cubes and fry it in some butter; add chopped parsley (and marjoram)
– Form dumplings (size of a tennis ball) and place a small amount of the bread herb filling into the middle. If you can get Backerbsen, you can use them instead of bread cubes. If not you would use use dark bread or croutons.

– Find Backerbsen here –

– Let dumplings sit for 1-2 min at room temperature (optional).
– Bring enough water in a large pot with some salt and some starch to a boil, then reduce heat.
– Place dumplings carefully into the water.
– Let them sit in the water on low temperature for about 20 minutes.
– Dumplings are done when they float at the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon.

Serve the Franconian dumplings with your favorite meat dish such as pot roast or Goulash (all meat dishes with a gravy are suitable to combine).

What to do with Leftovers?
Fry the dumplings in butter until they show a nice brown crust on all sides.

 photo credit Kochbar.de