Silesian Dumplings in Carrot Broth (Kluski Slaskie)

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• 2 egg yolks
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup water
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 quart carrot juice
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk sour cream or yogurt
• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
• 8 ounces fresh oyster or shiitake mushrooms, trimmed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• Chopped fresh dill
• Chopped fennel fronds

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake potatoes until cooked through and tender, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool slightly. When potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, halve and scoop out flesh.

Run warm potato flesh through a potato ricer or sieve, then spread onto a baking sheet to cool slightly. Transfer potato mixture, along with yolks and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to a bowl. Stir with a fork to incorporate. Sprinkle in potato starch, stirring until mixture just comes together. Turn mixture onto a work surface and press into a rough rectangle. Fold dough in half, then rotate a quarter turn and fold again. Repeat folding and turning two more times, taking care not to overwork, until dough is smooth and slightly sticky.

Make Stock:
Pulse dried mushrooms in a food processor until finely ground. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, ground mushrooms and ¼ cup water, and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick, soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and lemon juice. Stir in carrot juice. Reduce heat to lowest setting to keep stock warm but not simmering.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream and crushed fennel. Set aside.

Toss fresh mushrooms with olive oil and a pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Spread on a baking sheet. Roast in oven until tender and crisp at edges, 10 minutes.

Make Dumplings:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Pull off tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll into balls. Press a dimple into center of each ball. Working in batches, carefully drop dumplings into boiling water. Cook until dumplings are tender and rise to surface, about 3 minutes, using a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper-towel lined plate as you go.

To serve, arrange dumplings in a shallow bowl. Add roasted mushrooms, then ladle in carrot broth. Finish with a dollop of fennel sour cream, chopped dill and fennel fronds.