Serviettenknödel (bread dumpling in a napkin)
300 g (roughly 10 ounces) of day-old rolls or white bread, cut into small cubes
2 shallots or small onions, very finely chopped
40 g (1.5 oz) butter
2 medium eggs
1/3 l (1/6 of a pint) warm milk
1/4 of a bunch parsley, either straight or curled, very finely chopped
1 tsp salt
heavy-handed pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pour the warm milk over the bread cubes and mix thoroughly. Heat the butter over just medium heat, add the shallots and fry until glassy (not brown). Add to the bread/milk mix, mix thoroughly. Add salt and nutmeg and eggs, mix again. Last add parsley and mix again, then let dough stand for an hour at room temperature.
Bring lightly salted water in large pot to boiling. Shape dough into bread loaf shape and wrap in a cotton cloth. Twist either end to prevent it from opening. Tie each end around the handle of a pot to suspend the dough over boiling water. Let softly boil (over medium heat) for 30 minutes. Untie cotton, put dumpling on a plate, let rest for 10 minutes and then cut into half-inch thick slices.
This is typically served with gulash or beef roast, but I don't eat meat, so I'm having it with baby spinach in roquefort sauce and a quorn roast basted in truffle oil, rosemary and thyme. ;)
And this is how my meal looked tonight:
