Czech bread dumplings

Why

A Czech bread dumpling (houskový knedlík) is a yeast dough of semi-coarse wheat flour (Czech polohrubá), milk, eggs and yeast into which cubes of bread rolls are worked; the starter (kvásek) in such a recipe means yeast stirred into lukewarm milk with sugar and left to froth, not a rye sourdough. Kneading builds an elastic gluten network that traps the gas from proving, and during steaming or boiling it is set by coagulating egg and gelatinising starch; dough that is too soft or under-kneaded falls apart in the water, while dough that is too stiff or under-proved turns dense and hard. Hot steam remains inside the cooked dumpling: if it isn't pricked as soon as it comes out and the steam can't escape, the moisture stays inside and the dumpling turns heavy and sinks. Stale bread suits the dumpling better than fresh, because as it ages its starch realigns and firms up (retrogradation), so the cubes hold their shape and soak up liquid without turning to mush – which is also why croutons and breadcrumbs are made from old bread.

How to do it

• Let the starter froth in lukewarm milk, not hot, and only then add it to the flour.
• Knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic and comes away from the bowl; work in the bread cubes only at the end.
• Leave it covered in a warm place to rise until doubled, then let the shaped loaves prove briefly once more.
• Steam under a lid and don't open it needlessly while cooking; in water, keep only a gentle simmer.
• Prick the finished dumpling at once so the steam escapes, and slice it with thread or a sharp knife.
• Use stale bread one or two days old for the cubes, croutons and breadcrumbs.

If it goes wrong

If the dumpling is raw in the middle, return it to the steam for about 10 more minutes. A sunken or rubbery dumpling won't rise again, but it is tasty sliced and fried in a pan, with eggs for example. Dough that falls apart in the water was too soft or under-kneaded: next time add flour and knead longer, or steam the dumpling.