Gombotz are boiled potato dumplings with a coating of toasted, buttered breadcrumbs. When you take a bite, a sweet and warm juicy plum bursts into your mouth, and suddenly we all want to be Hungarian! Authentic gombotz are made only with fresh plums and only during the plum season. Those who choose to make it out of season can replace the fresh plums with a spoonful of high-quality powidl jam.
And another important point: as soon as the dough is ready, it must be filled and cooked immediately, otherwise the texture is compromised and the dumplings will come out very dense.
Ingredients for Gombotz
For the Filling
- 2.2 lbs (1 kilogram) plums Italian, if available, halved and peeled
- sugar cubes as many as you have plums
- cinnamon ground, to taste
For the Dough:
- 2.2 lbs (1 kilogram) potatoes Red
- 1 ¾ cups (250 grams) flour
- 2 tablespoon (20 grams) semolina
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- pinch Salt
For the Coating:
- 1-1 ½ cups (120-180 grams) breadcrumbs
- 1.75 oz (50 grams) butter melted
For Serving:
- sour cream
Instructions
Preparing the plum:
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1. Place a sugar cube and a little cinnamon inside half a plum (in place of the pit) and attach another half to create a "whole" plum. Fill the rest of the plums in this way.
Prepare the dough:
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2. Cook potatoes until soft. Cool slightly, peel and mash well while still warm (not in a food processor!).
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3. Add flour, semolina, egg, oil, and salt and gently knead into a soft dough. You can add a little extra flour if needed - the dough should be soft but not sticky.
Assemble and Cook:
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4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
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5. Roll the dough out on a well-floured surface into a rectangle ⅓ inch (1 cm) thick. Cut into 2 inch (5 cm) squares and in the center of each square place a stuffed plum or jam mixed with a little cinnamon. Gather the edges of the dough and close into a ball around the filling.
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6. Put the balls in the pot, a few at a time, and cook for about 5 minutes until the balls float. Turn gently, cook for another 5-6 minutes and carefully remove with a slotted spoon.
Garnish and Serve:
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7. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan cook breadcrumbs until golden. Put the dumplings into the pan and shake gently until the crumbs stick to the dumplings. Serve immediately with powdered sugar and/or sour cream.
This recipe is courtesy of “Haschulchan”