Lithuanian Potato Dumplings With Farmers Cheese
If there's one dish that makes me pause and marvel at the simplicity yet profound depth of Lithuanian cuisine, it's the humble Lithuanian Potato Dumplings, known as Virtų bulvių kukuliai. Imagine the comfort of Italian Gnocchi but with a twist that's distinctly Baltic. These dumplings are large, and moreish, and when served with a creamy sour cream sauce and the irresistible crunch of crispy bacon, they become a meal that's hard to forget.
Equipment
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 650 g (1.4 lb) potatoes* (see notes) unpeeled
- 150 g (5.3 oz) farmers cheese full-fat or half-fat
- 1 egg large
- 3 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 g (3 tbsp) parsley finely chopped, optional
To Serve:
- sour cream sauce
Instructions
- A few hours in advance, boil your unpeeled potatoes, until tender, but not falling apart. Drain and leave the potatoes to cool down completely.
- Peel the skins off the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add farmer's cheese, an egg, all-purpose flour, potato starch (or cornflour) and salt. Using a potato masher, mash everything into a smooth dough. If using parsley, mix it in now.
- With your hands, shape 14-15 tight golf ball-sized balls and place them on a lightly floured board.
- Boil a very large pot of salted water. Once boiling, gently drop potato dumplings in and gently shake the pan so that the dumplings don't stick to each other.
- Once the dumplings float on the surface, boil them for 5-6 minutes over medium heat.
- Serve the dumplings with sour cream sauce and crispy bacon on top!
Notes
POTATO CHOICE:
For those in the UK or the US, sourcing potatoes from an Eastern European shop can make all the difference (most Polish potatoes work just as well as Lithuanian potatoes).
Failing that, UK folks, try red-skinned Albert Bartlett Rooster Potatoes (available in Sainsbury's, Aldi and other large supermarkets).
In the US, Idaho potatoes are a fantastic substitute, proven by the experience of Lithuanian friends and the success of their Lithuanian potato dumplings.