Croatian Bread Dumplings
It is a usual side dish we eat with sauerkraut, sekeli goulash or other meat goulash or paprikas recipes. It is very easy. This is a recipe from Cooking High School from Zagreb. I have added parmesan because my experience says it will coagulate better and would prevent eventual crumbling while cooking.
It is a usual side dish we eat with sauerkraut, sekeli goulash or other meat goulash or paprikas recipes. It is very easy. This is a recipe from Cooking High School from Zagreb. I have added parmesan because my experience says it will coagulate better and would prevent eventual crumbling while cooking.
- Carbohydrate 6.03937142857143 g
- Cholesterol 182.01 mg
- Fat 20.0122956326393 g
- Fiber 0.652857149669102 g
- Protein 7.90995714285714 g
- Saturated Fat 6.68217868592686 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (72g)
- Sodium 350.545714285714 mg
- Sugar 5.38651427890233 g
- Trans Fat 1.98842792212184 g
- Calories 234 calories
Step-by-step
- Remove crust from bread.
- Cut the rest of bread into small cubes and dry them in oven.
- They must become crunchy.
- Make dough mixing milk, flour, eggs, parmesan and salt.
- Pour over crunchy bread.
- Finely mince onion.
- Cut bacon into small pieces and fry them but not too much.
- Bacon will drain some lard, so add oil and sauté onion until becomes translucent.
- Add parsley leaves and bacon and put it into dough.
- Mix well and leave at least half an hour in refrigerator.
- Make balls with your hand.
- To do it better, put your hands in cold water before you form each ball.
- Put balls into boiling water and cook about 20 minutes.
- The balls must float, that is the indication they are done.
- Cook until the toothpick can easily go through the ball.
- Before serving fry in a frying pan some breadcrumbs on butter.
- Put bread balls on hot butter just for few seconds to cover them with breadcrumbs.
Cooling the formed dough mixture in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes is non-negotiable because the dry white bread needs that interval to fully hydrate without dissolving into mush. Skipping this rest leads directly to structural failure when the balls hit simmering water, as the flour proteins and eggs require chilled stabilization to bind the mass. Controlling moisture intake during hydration remains critical when working with stale cubes since ambient humidity changes how much milk the crumb absorbs.
Scaling these proportions up or down requires precise math regarding the liquid-to-starch ratio, particularly because eggs act as the primary coagulant. Halving the batch means using three eggs rather than six, but bakers must watch the flour weight carefully so the dough retains enough density to form shapes that hold together. Doubling the recipe demands working in two separate boiling pots to maintain rolling water temperature, preventing the thermal shock that causes starches to leak prematurely.
Roots in traditional Central European cooking position these dumplings as classic starch vehicles designed to absorb rich pan juices from goulash or braised meats. Stale loaves find an economical second life here, transforming leftover bakery items into a dense, filling side dish without requiring specialized purchases. Pancetta and onions add foundational savory depth to the neutral crumb base while keeping ingredient costs remarkably low per serving.
Shaping the spheres requires dipping palms in cold water repeatedly to prevent the sticky dough matrix from adhering to skin. Floating serves as the primary visual cue for doneness, complemented by a toothpick piercing cleanly through the center before removal. Rolling the boiled spheres in butter-toasted breadcrumbs adds a contrasting textural crunch that balances the tender interior.
