Speck Dumplings

Are large stale bread dumplings embellished in the dough with diced speck. These are cooked in broth and served with melted butter flavored with sage leaves. Also known as "Knodel", this first course is representative of the cuisine of Trentino Alto Adige, a cuisine that has humble origins. Foods such as buckwheat polenta, potatoes, bread, lard, sauerkraut and butter have been the basis of the diet of the people of this region for many years. This traditional cuisine is heavily influenced by the traditions of the border regions and geographical features. This is reflected in the dishes with the use of simple ingredients from the earth. The first courses are warm, full-bodied and rich, perfect for warming up in the long cold winters or for recharging after tiring work in the mountains. Many of the preparations are shared with neighboring Germany and Austria. For example, "Knodel" for Germans are equivalent to Dumplings for us, and Zelten is the typical Christmas dessert of the region. Dumplings are a dish born as a recovery dish so as not to waste leftover bread and what was in the refrigerator. The old bread cut into cubes is soaked with milk to soften it. The result is a dumpling with a compact but soft consistency, to which speck or smoked bacon is added, and sometimes a soft heart of cheese. The ingredients may vary according to taste, including nettle, kale, cabbage, spinach, chives. Dumplings are usually topped with melted butter and sage, or fontina butter and thyme. Now let's see what we need to make our Speck Dumplings. Ingredients for the dumplings 300 grams of stale bread 200 ml milk 2 eggs 100 grams of grated cheese 180 grams of speck nutmeg chives 1 onion oil For the dressing 100 grams of Butter a few leaves of sage Grated cheese Preparation In a pan, put a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter, then add a finely chopped onion. After a few minutes, add the speck cut into cubes and brown everything for a few minutes. In the meantime, cut the stale bread into small pieces and put it in a bowl with the milk. After about ten minutes, squeeze the bread to remove excess milk. Add the two eggs, the speck with the onion, the grated cheese, the chives and a pinch of nutmeg. With wet hands, form large dumplings and dip them in boiling salted water. Lower the heat and cook slowly for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the sauce in another pan: put the butter and let it melt, being careful not to burn it. Add the sage leaves and let it flavor for a few minutes. Once ready, drain our dumplings and season them with melted butter, adding grated cheese.