Kysnutá knedľa: Slovak steamed yeast dumpling

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Stir 3–4 tbsp of the flour into the lukewarm milk and water. Add the yeast, sprinkle with the sugar and let rise in a slightly warm place for 30 minutes. Add the remaining flour and the other ingredients, then knead into a soft, supple dough.

   Once the dough is smooth, glossy and free of lumps, transfer it to a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for another 30–40 minutes.

   

2. Leave the dough covered in the bowl to rise undisturbed.

   

3. Turn the dough out onto a board and shape it into a dumpling of your choice: a traditional long shape, an oval or a round loaf.

   

4. Place the dumpling in a pot fitted with a steamer insert and let rise for another 15 minutes. Just before steaming, brush it thoroughly with oil or butter, carefully pour water into the bottom of the pot and turn on the heat. Steam for at least 20 minutes so it cooks all the way through.

5. Steam a round, loaf-shaped dumpling longer so the heat reaches the center. Do not open the pot during steaming, as the dumpling could collapse and will not rise again. Plan how much water to add beforehand. The dumpling must not sit in or touch the water.

6. Tip: Add enough water, then reduce the heat once it comes to a boil. This slows evaporation and keeps the pot from boiling dry and scorching, so you will not need to open it and risk deflating the dumpling.

7. Let the dumpling rise in an almost fully covered pot before steaming for a fluffy texture. Transfer the steamed dumpling to a wooden board and prick it with a toothpick or skewer to release steam and prevent it from collapsing. Once cool, brush it with oil to keep it from drying out. It is then ready to serve.

Tip: Half a cube of fresh yeast, about 20 g, can replace 7 g of active dry yeast. Reheat cooled dumpling slices over steam to keep them soft.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Kysnutá knedľa podľa receptu babičky