Eurotalia - 2019

Semmelknödel, Bavarian Variation : Brezenknödel

BAVARIA

Ingredients (4 to 6 people) :

 8 to 10 dried small semmeln*  13 oz warm milk  3 to 4 eggs  A small onion  Fresh parsley  Salt

* : semmeln are small Bavarian breads made of wheat flour with a white crumb ; a piece is about 1.4 to 1.7 oz. They can be replaced by another white bread or, in the case of Brezenknödel variation, – then you have to add less salt since the pretzels already contain a lot.

NB : The dryness of the bread has an influence over the quantity of milk to use. If the semmeln are very dry you will need more milk. Moreover, if you intend having the semmelknödel as your main course, you can count an egg per guest.

Preparation :

o Cut the bread into small pieces and put them in a bowl. Season and cover with the milk. Let soak 20-30 minutes. o Chop the onion and the parsley and sweat them in a pan then add to the mix bread-milk. Add the eggs as well and stir in order to form a dough. Check the seasoning. o With wet hands form tennis ball-sized dumplings. If by any chance they do not stand on their own do not hesitate adding some breadcrumbs or flour. o In a boiling and very salty water cook the dumplings until they go back to the surface (15-20 minutes). Strain them with a skimmer and put directly into a warm dish. Serve while still hot. They often go along with a meat or mushroom dish with gravy.

Semmelknödel are an unmissable dish of the Bavarian cuisine whose people do claim the creation. Before the invention of the white equator (Weiβwurstäquator) that culturally separates the south and especially from the rest of you would have known you had left the region when you were not have been able to find any Eurotalia - 2019 dumplings anymore. Semmelknödel are likely to be the oldest of them, made and eaten in every house for centuries. A lot of variations exist : with potatoes (Kartoffelknödel), with (Grammelknödel), as quenelles with semolina (Grieβnockerl), with (Milzknödel, Leberknödel, …) or with yawn (Böhmische Knödel, wink to the Czech neighbour).

Recipe from HOFMANN, M., LYDTIN, H., (2007) Bayerisches Kochbuch. Tutzing : Birken-Verlag GmbH (56th edition, original in 1931).

Go further :

 Cookismo.fr (2016) Semmelknödel, boulettes au pain. Cookismo.fr [online]. Available from : http://www.cookismo.fr/semmelknodel-boulettes-au- pain/25187 [Accessed 10th June 2019] (French)

 Emmi (2017) Klassische Semmelknödel – das süddeutsche Original. Germany : Emmikochteinfach.de [online]. Available from: https://emmikochteinfach.de/klassische-semmelknoedel/ [Accessed 10th June 2019] (German)

 METZGER, C. (2000) L’Allemagne se met à table (original German version : Culinaria. Deutsche Spezialitäten, 1999). Cologne : Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH. (French)