Kluski śląskie: smooth, springy Silesian dumplings with a dimple for the gravy
Dumplings of potato and potato starch in a four-to-one ratio by volume, measured the old way: take a quarter of the potato out of the bowl, fill the gap with starch and put the potato back. No wheat flour, which is why they are springy and glossy. The dimple isn't decoration; it is where the gravy goes.
Your own work in that: 45 min.
- Potatoes boiling 25 min
- Dough 15 min
- Shaping 15 min
- Boiling 15 min
Step by step
0 / 6 done
Boil and rice the potatoes
Peel the potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20–25 minutes), drain and steam off for a minute over the heat. Press them hot through a ricer into a bowl. Leave until lukewarm: hot potato scalds the starch and makes gluey dumplings.
Ingredients: 1000 g potatoes · 200 g potato starch · 1 pcs egg yolk · 1 tsp salt
Through the ricer, no lumps
Measure the starch by the quarter method
Level the potato in the bowl and divide it with a knife into four. Lift one quarter out and fill the gap with potato starch to the level of the potato. Put the quarter back on top. This ratio works whatever the amount of potato.
TipThis is the traditional Silesian way: the starch is measured against the actual amount of boiled, riced potato, with no weighing. The weight in the ingredient list is only a guide.
A quarter of the potato replaced by starch
Knead the dough
Add the yolk and salt. Knead quickly by hand into a smooth, uniform dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Overworking turns it to rubber.
Smooth dough, not sticky
Shape the dumplings
Pinch off walnut-sized pieces (about 30 g), roll into balls between your palms and press a dimple into the top with a finger. Set on a board dusted with potato starch. This batch makes about 35.
A ball, a dimple with the finger
Boil
Bring a wide pot of salted water to the boil, then lower the heat until it barely bubbles. Add the dumplings in batches. Once they float, cook 3 minutes more. Lift out with a slotted spoon. Three batches take about 15 minutes in all.
TipThe water should shimmer, not boil. In a rolling boil the dumplings break up.
Floating: three minutes
Serve with gravy
With beef roulade, goulash, roast, chicken in sauce. Gravy into the dimple. The next day, fried in butter, they are just as good, only different.
Gravy in the dimple, as it should be
Before you start
They fall apart
Too little starch or the water boils too hard. Boil one test dumpling before shaping the rest; add a spoon of starch if needed.
They are hard
Too much starch, or the potatoes were cold. The dough should feel lukewarm in your hands.
Freezing
Boiled and cooled dumplings freeze well; reheat 2 minutes in hot water or in butter.
Nutrition
per 100 gStep photos are computer-generated from the recipe.
