Czech Bread Dumpling from Yeast Dough: Recipe

The perfect side dish without which many traditional Czech dishes could not exist. Now, you too can make Czech bread dumplings from yeast dough, no matter where you are from. In the Czech Republic, we usually shape a dumpling cone and then cut it, but elsewhere in the world, smaller dumplings are cooked straight away. It’s entirely up to you; if you prepare bread dumplings often, try both variants. If you are interested in a Czech dumpling where white bread or other pastry takes center stage, then try Carlsbad Dumpling.

Recipe

Ingredients in this recipe

• 4 cups coarse flour
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups skimmed milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large or 2 smaller eggs
• 1 to 2 handfuls of dry bread cubes (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1

• Mix lukewarm milk, sugar, and active dry yeast in a bowl. Let it rest for about 10 minutes until it foams.

Step 2

• Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the activated yeast mixture, melted butter, and beaten egg.

Step 3

• Mix to form a dough, then incorporate cubes of dry bread into the mixture. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Step 4

• Place the prepared dough in a larger bowl (lightly greased with oil). Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours. The dough should roughly double in size.

Step 5

• Shape the risen dough into a large dumpling to be cut later or into smaller dumplings, depending on your preference.

Step 6

• Place the shaped dumplings on a floured surface, cover, and let them rise for another 30 minutes before cooking.

Step 7

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add the dumplings and reduce the flame to moderate. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the dumplings are done. Steaming is also a great alternative.

Step 8

• Once cooked, remove from the water and let them cool for a few minutes. If you made a large dumpling, cut it into slices about 2 cm thick and stack them on a plate.

These Czech bread dumplings are a classic side dish, often served with hearty stews or boiled meat and sauces. Enjoy the soft and fluffy texture of this dumpling and experiment with different versions of the recipe, adding dry bread cubes or trying various cooking methods.

A quick summary about dumplings in the Czech Republic: Bread dumplings made from yeast dough typically include added bread cubes, but you can skip these to have a simple leavened dumpling. Another main type is the Karlovy Vary dumpling, renowned for its texture due to the cubes of dough and fresh parsley. Additionally, there are potato dumplings, and I’ll share the recipe for those next time. In terms of cooking methods, you can either cook a large dumpling and cut it into slices or cook smaller dumplings directly without cutting. While cooking directly in water is an option, steaming is often considered superior.