The Tyrol: Tirolean Speckknoedel (Bacon Dumplings)

A favorite in the mountainous areas of almost all European countries with an Alpine region, the speckknödel probably started out as a way to use bread that had gone stale and might otherwise be wasted.

The reliance of the dish on heavily-smoked bacon and onions suggest that speckknödeln were often made in the winter, a way to make the increasingly scarce preserved meat go further and last longer until the first new sources of meat started to become available in the spring.

Cut the bread rolls into cubes approximatly 1 cm / 1/2 inch wide, and place in a bowl. Cube the bacon small and saute over medium heat until it starts to go translucent. Peel and chop the onion finely: sauté with the bacon until the onions too become translucent. Add the two spoonfuls of parsley: continue to sauté.

Add the sauteed mixture to the cubed bread. Beat the eggs and milk together: add to the bread mixture with the rest of the parsley. Sprinkle in the flour and add the butter, season with salt and pepper, and mix well to blend all the ingredients. (Many veteran dumpling-makers will insist that the best way to do this is with the hands.) Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Bring to a boil at least three quarts / liters of salted water. Reduce to a simmer. With your hands, form the dumpling mixture into six balls. Add gently to the boiling water and cook for approximately fifteen minutes.

Serve beside a hearty stew, or in a clear soup or hot broth. Leftover semmelknödel are often served as an appetizer -- cold, in slices, with a hot meat sauce poured over.

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