The Sunday before my son went back to college I made one of his favorite meals, chicken with dumplings. There something meditative about chopping the onions and carrots. It is satisfying to me to make a meal for him that he loves.
I think about the days when he and his sister were younger and always wanted to help me in the kitchen. I would prepare the dough, with a little extra for them to use, and together we would form the dumplings for our meal. The fragrance of the simmering chicken broth brings these memories to the forefront of my mind.
When I was a child I learned to make dumplings in the kitchen with my grandmother. She was of Irish descent and could make just about any type of meal from a potato. I loved the way she made the dumplings, especially when we had sauer beef. I enjoyed them so much she decided to add them to pea soup. I however, was not about to eat green dumplings!
My grandmother has been gone many years now, but my auntie and I still remembered her delicious meals. Several years ago we came across a restaurant that made sauer beef and dumplings that tasted as good as if my grandmother had cooked them herself.
As the snow begins its journey towards my home, I feel the need to make dumplings. My children are grown and living away from home. I guess that means more dumplings for me!
Nana’s Dumplings
6 medium baking potatoes. 2eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 cup of flour 1/2 cup of butter 1teaspoon of paprika
1teaspoon of pepper. 1/4 cup of dried bread crumbs
Peel and grate potatoes. Add eggs, salt, flour and butter. Beat the batter with a fork until fluffy. Add pepper and paprika. Form small balls of dough about 1inch in diameter. You may need to add more flour if dough is too sticky. Drop into boiling salted water. Cook for ten minutes. Add cooked dumplings to gravy or broth.
Scenes From A Baltimore Kitchen 