With a quarantine weekend upon us, the kitchen beckons. If you’re looking for something new to sweeten up your dinner table, look no further than traditional Hungarian dumplings.

Plum dumplings (szilvás gombóc) are a wonderful Hungarian dish, which can be eaten as a dessert, covered in a sweet sauce, or as a meatless main or side dish. They are a favourite of adults and children alike, and quite easy to make in the home kitchen. This recipe from Budapest Cooking Class outlines the steps and necessary ingredients in English.

Ingredients

500 grams (17.6 ounces) potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
200 grams (7 ounces, 1 1/3 cup) flour
150 grams (5.3 ounces) breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
15 grams (1 tablespoon, 1/2 ounce) butter
1 egg
Salt
50g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
15-17 small damson plums, stoned – if making it from a larger fruit can use a half for each dumpling

Method

  • Peel, cube and boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Immediately mash while still warm, until there are no chunks left. Add the butter and let it cool completely. Proceeding with still-hot mash will result in tough dumplings.
  • Meanwhile, toast the breadcrumbs in about one tablespoon of vegetable oil over a low heat, stirring constantly, until crunchy and golden brown.  
  • Once the potato mash has cooled, mix it with one egg, a pinch of salt and flour, and knead the dough until smooth. The dough should be light and pliable. Avoid adding more flour even if it feels a bit sticky, otherwise your dumplings will be too hard.
  • Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  
  • Sprinkle the work surface with flour before placing the ball of dough on top. Be sure to sprinkle the dough on top as well as coat the rolling pin, then roll out the dough until it’s ½-1cm think (approx. 1/3 inch).
  • Cut the rolled dough into 8-cm squares (approx. 3.2 inches). Place half a plum on each square and sprinkle one teaspoon of cinnamon-sugar in the middle of the plums. Place the other half of the plum on top, then fold and knead the dough around the plums to make them into dumplings.
  • Add the dumplings to the boiling water in batches – don’t overcrowd. Gently simmer until they float on the top.
  • Remove the dumplings from the water using a slotted spoon, drain and lightly roll them in the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and serve.  

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