Czech Republic: Fluffy Bread and Semolina Dumplings

These dumplings serve as an irreplaceable "side dish" for many Czech specialties. They can be made ahead of time and frozen.

• 3 cups white flour
• 3 cups semolina
• 1 whole egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk (or thereabouts)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 baguette / French stick or similar French bread, cubed

Mix the flour, semolina and baking powder together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and break in the egg. Mix in some milk and the salt: then start mixing in the flour. Stir the dough very hard with a wooden spoon for about ten minutes, adding milk if necessary until bubbles start to form (or mix for several minutes in a food processor, using the plastic blade). Add some of the cubed bread: continue to mix. Keep adding bread until the dough is pretty full of it.

Put the dough on a floured board. Divide into four pieces, shaping them into small loaves by rolling them on the board with your hands.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Put in two of the dumplings and let them cook for 12 minutes: flip them over and cook for thirteen minutes more. Remove and repeat with the other two dumplings.

Place the cooked dumplings on a cutting board. Don't try to slice them with a knife: the dumplings are likely to get crushed and lose their lightness. Instead, take a long piece of sewing thread, slide under one of the dumplings (the short way), wrap it around the top and pull tight to slice. Repeat until the dumpling are all sliced. Place them in a covered serving bowl to keep warm: or place in single layers in Zip-Loc bags and freeze for another time.

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