German Cooking Today Read online

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  140 | Potato purée

  For children

  Preparation time: about 35 minutes

  1 kg/21⁄4 lb floury potatoes

  salt

  50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter or margarine

  about 250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) milk

  grated nutmeg

  Per serving:

  P: 6 g, F: 13 g, C: 33 g, kJ: 1160, kcal: 277

  1. Wash the potatoes, peel, rinse, cut into pieces and put in a saucepan. Add some salt and just enough water to cover the potatoes, then bring to the boil. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until done, drain and put them through a potato ricer or mash them with a potato masher. Add the butter or margarine.

  2. Bring the milk to the boil and stir little by little into the potato mash, using a whisk or wooden spoon (the amount of milk will vary according to the type of potato).

  3. Beat the mash with the whisk over low heat until it has a light, smooth consistency. Season with salt and nutmeg.

  Note: Do not purée the potatoes with hand-held blender because they would become glutinous!

  Tip: Potato purée can be served with celery schnitzel, roast meat, meat balls, fish, or egg in mustard sauce.

  Variation 1: Use whipping cream instead of milk but omit the butter. Alternatively, leave out the butter, fry 100 g/31⁄2 oz diced streaky bacon to release the fat and stir this into the potato purée.

  Variation 2: Potato purée with garlic and herbs. Peel 1–2 cloves garlic and chop up. Melt the butter, add the garlic and sweat for about 5 minutes over low heat. Finally, stir the garlic butter into the potato purée together with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon chopped chives.

  Variation 3: Potato purée with cheese. Just before serving add 4 tablespoons grated, medium-aged Gouda or Emmental to the potato purée and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or chervil.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  141 | Pommes duchesse

  For children

  Preparation time: about 40 minutes, excluding cooling time

  750 g/11⁄2 lb floury potatoes

  salt

  1 medium egg

  20 g/3⁄4 oz (11⁄2 table spoons) soft butter or margarine

  grated nutmeg

  1 yolk of 1 egg

  2 teaspoons milk

  In addition:

  fat for the baking sheet

  Per serving:

  P: 6 g, F: 8 g, C: 22 g, kJ: 797, kcal: 190

  1. Wash the potatoes, peel, rinse, cut the larger potatoes into two or more pieces, put in a saucepan, add 1 teaspoon salt, add enough water to cover the potatoes and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for about 20–25 minutes until they are done. Drain and dry the potatoes, then put them immediately through a potato ricer or mash with a potato masher and leave to cool down.

  2. Preheat the oven. Stir the egg and butter or margarine into the cold potato mass and season with salt and nutmeg. Put the potato mixture in a pastry bag with a large star-shaped nozzle and pipe the mixture in whorl shapes onto a well-greased baking sheet.

  3. Beat the yolk into the milk and coat the whorls with this mixture. Put the whorls in the oven and cook for 12 minutes.

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Cooking time: about 12 minutes.

  Tip: Serve pommes duchesse with roasts, escalopes or steaks.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  142 | Raw potato dumplings

  Classic (12 dumplings)

  Preparation time: about 60 minutes

  1.5 kg/31⁄4 lb firm cooking potatoes

  250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) milk

  70 g/3 oz (4 tablespoons) butter or margarine

  salt

  150 g/5 oz hard wheat semolina flour

  1 bread roll

  salted water – 1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) water with 1 teaspoon salt

  Per serving:

  P: 13 g, F: 18 g, C: 79 g, kJ: 2242, kcal: 535

  1. Wash the potatoes, peel, rinse and grate them into a bowl filled with cold water. Drain the grated potatoes in a sieve and press in a tea towel to squeeze out all the water.

  2. Add 40 g/11⁄2 oz (3 tablespoons) butter or margarine and 2 teaspoons salt to the milk and bring to the boil. Next stir in the semolina and briefly bring back to the boil. Then immediately add to the squeezed grated potatoes and form into a homogenous mass using a hand-held mixer with a kneading attachment. Check the seasoning and add salt if necessary.

  3. Cut the roll into small cubes. Melt the remaining butter or margarine in a pan, add the diced roll and fry until brown, stirring occasionally.

  4. Fill a saucepan with enough water for the dumplings to be able to “swim” in the liquid, add salt and bring to the boil. Make 12 dumplings from the grated potato mass, using your hands which you first moisten. Press a few fried bread croutons into each dumpling. Place the dumplings into the boiling salted water, bring back to the boil and cook covered for about 20 minutes with a lid (the water should bubble gently). Use a skimming ladle to remove the dumplings from the water when they are done. Drain them thoroughly.

  Tip: Serve raw potato dumplings with roasts and meat dishes with a sauce. Leftover dumplings can be cut into slices and fried in clarified butter or vegetable oil until golden-brown on both sides.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  143 | Half-and-half potato dumplings

  Classic (about 12 dumplings)

  Preparation time: about 75 minutes, excluding cooling time

  1.25 g/23⁄4 lb firm cooking potatoes

  1 medium egg

  65 g/2 oz (5 tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 teaspoon salt

  salted water – 1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) water with 1 teaspoon salt

  Per serving:

  P: 9 g, F: 2 g, C: 51 g, kJ: 1116, kcal: 266

  1. Wash 750 g/11⁄2 lb of the potatoes thoroughly and bring to the boil in a saucepan of water. Cover and cook for about 20–25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, rinse with cold water and peel. Then immediately push them through a potato ricer or mash with a potato masher. Leave to cool down, cover and refrigerate until the following day.

  2. Wash the rest of the potatoes, peel, rinse and grate into a bowl of cold water. Put in a sieve to drain and press in a tea towel to squeeze out all the water. Add to the cooked potato. Add the egg, flour and salt, and knead until the mixture forms a smooth consistency.

  3. Shape 12 dumplings using your hands lightly coated with flour. Fill a large saucepan with enough water for the dumplings to be able to “swim” in the liquid. Add salt and bring to the boil. Put the dumplings in the boiling salted water, bring back to the boil and poach uncovered over low heat for about 20 minutes (the water should only move very slightly). When the dumplings are cooked, remove from the water with a skimming ladle and drain well.

  Tip: Serve the potato dumplings with meat dishes accompanied by a sauce, e.g. roast pork or beef roulade.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  144 | Boiled potato dumplings

  Classic (12 dumplings)

  Preparation time: about 60 minutes, excluding cooling time

  750 g/11⁄2 lb firm cooking potatoes

  50 g/2 oz breadcrumbs

  20 g/3⁄4 oz (3 tablespoons) plain (allpurpose) flour

  2 medium eggs

  salt

  grated nutmeg

  salted water – 1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) water with 1 teaspoon salt

  Per serving:

  P: 9 g, F: 4 g, C: 38 g, kJ: 938, kcal: 224

  1. Cover and cook for 20–25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, rinse in cold water, drain and peel. Push them through the potato ricer or mash with a potato masher. Leave to cool down, cover and refrigerate until the following day.

  2. Knead the breadcrumbs, flour and eggs into the potato mixture using a hand-held mixer with kneading attachment, or using a mixing spo
on. Season with salt and nutmeg. Shape 12 dumplings using your hands lightly coated with flour.

  3. Fill a large saucepan with enough water for the dumplings to be able to “swim” in the liquid. Put the dumplings in the boiling salted water, bring to the boil again and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes (the water should only move very slightly). When the dumplings are cooked, remove from the water with a skimming ladle and drain thoroughly.

  Tip: Serve potato dumplings with Sauerbraten (braised beef marinated in vinegar and herbs) or roast pork with red cabbage.

  Variation 1: Potato dumplings with bacon and parsley. Chop up 100 g/31⁄2 oz lean, streaky bacon and fry over medium heat to release the fat out. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, leave to cool down and add to the potato mixture. Then make the dumplings as described above.

  Variation 2: Sweet stuffed potato dumplings. Wash 8–12 small apricots or plums (the amount depends on the size of the fruit), pat dry, halve, remove the stones and fill each with a cube of sugar. Prepare the potato purée without nutmeg and divide into 8–12 pieces of equal size. Stuff each piece with a fruit, shape into a dumpling and cook as indicated above. Melt 70 g/3 oz butter, then add 1–2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon sugar. Fry the mixture until golden-brown and pour over the drained dumplings.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  145 | Schupfnudeln (potato noodles)

  For guests (36 dumplings)

  Preparation time: about 60 minutes, excluding cooling time

  300 g/10 oz floury cooking potatoes

  salt

  1 medium egg

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

  freshly ground pepper

  grated nutmeg

  salted water – 1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) water with 1 teaspoon salt

  30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter

  Per serving:

  P: 6 g, F: 8 g, C: 27 g, kJ: 852, kcal: 203

  1. Wash the potatoes, peel thinly, rinse and put in a saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, add just enough water to cover the potatoes and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Drain and dry the potatoes and put immediately through the potato ricer or mash with a potato masher, then leave to cool down.

  2. Stir the egg and flour into the potato purée and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Shape into finger-thick cylindrical rolls about 5 cm/2 in long, using your hands lightly coated with flour. Make the rolls slightly thinner at the ends.

  3. Fill a large saucepan with enough water for the dumplings to be able to “swim” in the liquid and bring back to the boil. Put the dumplings in the boiling water, bring back to the boil and cook uncovered over low heat for 3–4 minutes. The water should only move very slightly.

  4. Remove the dumplings from the water with a skimming ladle and leave to drain thoroughly. Melt the butter, add the dumplings and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  Tip: Serve these dumplings with braised beef, goulash, Geschnetzeltes (small, thin slices of meat cooked in sauce) or sauerkraut.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  146 | Kastenpickert (yeast potato bread)

  For guests (8 servings)

  Preparation time: about 45 minutes, excluding rising, baking and cooling time

  1 kg/21⁄4 lb floury potatoes

  3 medium eggs

  1 heaped teaspoon salt

  125 ml/4 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) milk

  500 g/18 oz (5 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 packet dried yeast

  250 g/9 oz raisins

  In addition:

  fat for the mould

  200 ml/7 fl oz (7⁄8 cup) cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  Per serving:

  P: 13 g, F: 29 g, C: 81 g, kJ: 2685, kcal: 641

  1. Wash the potatoes, peel thinly, rinse and grate finely. Leave to drain in a sieve, transfer to a mixing bowl, add the eggs and salt, and mix well.

  2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan. Sieve the flour in a bowl, add the dried yeast and mix very well. Mix together the warm milk and flour and yeast mixture in two stages. Knead to make a smooth, homogenous consistency, using a hand-held mixer with kneading attachment.

  3. Continue kneading the dough for about 5 minutes. Then cover and put in a warm place to rise (about 60 minutes).

  4. Stir the raisins into the dough and put in a well-greased bread tin (35 x 11 cm/14 x 41⁄2 in), cover and leave in a warm place to rise again for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven at top and bottom and put the tin in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),

  Cooking time: about 60 minutes.

  5. Remove the pickert from the tin and leave to cool down on a wire tray. When cool cut into 24 slices.

  6. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the pickert slices on both sides until golden brown.

  Tip: Serve the pickert with syrup, jam or apple sauce. It is also delicious with butter and it can be served with coffee.

  Variation: Yeast pancakes (makes about 20). Make the dough as described above but use only 2 eggs. Finally, stir in the raisins. Fry in a pan, a few at a time. Spoon the dough mixture into the frying pan, press flat and fry the pancakes on both sides until golden brown. Drain briefly on kitchen paper. Serve the pancakes in the same way as pickert.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  147 | Spätzle

  Good value

  Preparation time: about 35 minutes

  250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  2 medium eggs

  scant 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

  about 3 tablespoons water

  3 litres/5 pints (13 cups) water

  3 teaspoons salt

  40 g/11⁄2 oz (3 table spoons) butter

  Per serving:

  P: 10 g, F: 12 g, C: 45 g, kJ: 1361, kcal: 325

  1. Sieve the flour into a bowl. Add the eggs, salt and 5 tablespoons water. Knead all the ingredients together using a hand-held mixer with a kneading attachment or wooden spoon, making sure that there are no lumps. Continue kneading until the dough begins to form air bubbles.

  2. Bring 3 litres/5 pints (13 cups) water to the boil and add salt. Push the dough through a spätzle ricer or spätzle press into the boiling water and poach for 3–5 minutes; the spätzle are done when they float to the surface.

  3. Remove the spätzle from the water using a skimming ladle, transfer to a sieve or colander, rinse under cold water and drain. Brown the butter in a pan and toss the spätzle in it.

  Tip: Serve spätzle as an accompaniment to braised beef, goulash or escalopes.

  Variation 1: To make spätzle coated with breadcrumbs, melt 30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter in a pan, stir in 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and pour over the spätzle.

  Variation 2: To make spätzle with fried onions, peel 3 onions, cut into rings, brown in melted butter or margarine and pour over the spätzle just before serving.

  Variation 3: To make cheese spätzle, make the spätzle as described above but using 400 g/14 oz wheat flour, 4 medium eggs, 1 level teaspoon salt and 150 ml/5 fl oz (5⁄8 cup) water. Arrange the drained spätzle and 200 g/7 oz grated Emmental cheese in layers in a greased gratin dish (the top layer should be cheese). Put the dish in the preheated oven (top and bottom heat) at a temperature of about 200 °C/400 °F, fan oven about 180 °C/350 °F, gas mark 6 and bake the cheese spätzle for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese spätzle with fried onion rings (made from 4 onions) and serve with a mixed salad as a main dish.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  148 | Maultaschen (stuffed Swabian pockets)

  Suitable for freezing (24 pieces)

  Preparation time: about 75 minutes, without baking and cooling time

  Preparation for the spinach filling:

  600 g/11⁄4 lb frozen leaf spinach

  For the dough:

  300 g/12 oz (3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  2 medium eggs

&nbs
p; 3 tablespoons water

  some salt

  For the spinach filling:

  2 onions

  2 cloves garlic

  4 teaspoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower or olive oil

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  grated nutmeg

  1 yolk of 1 medium egg

  1 white of 1 medium egg

  1.5 litres/23⁄4 pints (7 cups) vegetable or meat stock

  Per serving:

  P: 18 g, F: 11 g, C: 57 g, kJ: 1686, kcal: 402

  1. Defrost the spinach following the instructions on the packet to make the spinach stuffing.

  2. To make the dough, sieve the flour into a bowl, then add the eggs, water and salt. Knead all the ingredients together to make a smooth dough, using a hand-held mixer with kneading attachment. Cover and leave to rest for about 40 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, squeeze the defrosted spinach to remove all the water and coarsely chop. Peel and chop the onions and garlic.

  4. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped onions and garlic and fry while stirring. Then add the spinach, stir, cover and braise over low heat for about 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and leave to cool a little. Finally stir in the egg yolk.

  5. Roll out the dough thinly on a floured work surface and cut out squares 10 x 10 cm/4 x 4 in from the dough. Put a little stuffing on each square. Beat the egg white with a fork and brush along the edges of each square. Fold the squares into triangles and press the edges together.

  6. Heat the vegetable or meat stock in a pan. Put half the stuffed pockets in the liquid and poach uncovered over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Remove the stuffed pockets from the water with a skimming ladle and keep in a warm place. Repeat the same operation with the rest of the stuffed pockets.