Time for a good recipe

After the Christmas holidays, many people are in the mood for something “sour.” Me too—I really enjoy making a batch of cheese dumplings and liver dumplings to keep on hand. You can find them at just about every ski lodge, and they’re perfect for freezing.

Rosemary’s Liver Dumplings:

My mother-in-law probably made the best liver dumplings I’ve ever eaten. She always told me that it was very important to first mix the liver with a little milk, marjoram, garlic, and an onion, and let it sit. Only then would she add the bread for the dumplings, a few breadcrumbs, a little flour, and one egg—enough for about 10 dumplings. She always used very few eggs—and sometimes just the yolks. That’s what made them so nice and fluffy. Mix everything together and let the mixture rest; add a little salt and let it rest again. For those of you waiting for the exact measurements, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you—I just go “by feel.” But if anyone wants them, I’ll send the measurements from a farmers’ cookbook. Just let me know at info@gasteinurlaub.com

Heat some good-quality oil, and once the dumplings are nicely shaped, fry them briefly in the hot oil until they float. When they’re golden yellow to brown, remove them and let them drain on paper towels. If the oil is at the right temperature, the dumplings won’t soak up too much oil and won’t be as greasy. Then the liver dumplings are ready and can be frozen. If you’re eating them fresh, add them to a hearty soup or salted water for about 15–20 minutes and let them cook until they’re “through” on the inside. Good luck!

Tati-Style Kaspreßknödel:

Since my dad is from South Tyrol and spent a lot of time in the alpine pastures, he used to cook a lot with cheese when we were kids. It was simply a staple food in the alpine pastures that was always on hand. So on Saturdays we always had Italian food, and during the week we often had something with cheese—for example, South Tyrolean-style Kasnockn, Kaspressknödel, or gray cheese with onions, vinegar, and oil. I make the Kaspressknödel very similar to my dad’s recipe: Soak the bread in milk (the dough shouldn’t be too soft), then stir in finely chopped onion and garlic, and ideally 3–4 different kinds of cheese—including at least one hearty variety like mountain cheese, Tilsiter, or sour cheese. Chop them finely and fold them in, along with 2–4 eggs for 15–20 Kaspressknödel, depending on how you like them. Let the dough rest, then fry it in hot oil (don’t let it float—save on oil!), cooking it slowly until golden brown, turning it over, and transferring it to a tray. I always fry the Kaspressknödel all the way through; that way, you can also eat them “dry”—without soup—and they’re delicious with a green salad. Just before lunch, add the dumplings to the soup for a very short time to let them soak up the flavor, and then enjoy!

Making Kaspressknödel is also a great way to use up leftovers if you have several pieces of leftover cheese. I don’t add potatoes to the Kaspressknödel dough. Here, too, I don’t cook according to exact measurements; I usually bake one dumpling, taste it, and season the rest of the dough as needed. Enjoy your meal! Warm regards from the Zittrauerhof in Gastein, Katharina Schwaiger. www.gasteinurlaub.com