- 300g of white crusty bread (traditionally Brötchen/crispy bread rolls are used), left to sit out for a few days to get hard and then diced into small cubes
- 250 ml hot milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 very finely diced yellow onion
- 4 strips bacon, diced and fried until crisp
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt (you can use less if using bacon)
- 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- breadcrumbs, as needed
Putting it all together:
Chop the hardened bread into small cubes and place them in a large bowl. Pour the hot milk over the bread, cover and let sit for 20-30 minutes or until softened.
Heat the butter in a frying pan and cook the onions just until transparent, do not brown them. Add the cooked onions to the bread mixture along with the eggs, cooked bacon (if using), parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Knead the mixture together with your hands until very thoroughly combined, breaking up as many of the bread cubes as you can until it's a soft and chunky-smooth consistency. If the dough is too wet, add breadcrumbs (not flour).
Wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking and form Knödel about the size of a tennis ball (they will expand slightly when cooked). Press the Knoedel between your palms to make sure they're nice and compact.
Bring a large, wide pot of lightly salted water to a very light simmer - not boiling but just on the verge of boiling with tiny fizzy bubbles floating up. Carefully drop the Semmel Knoedel in the water and let them "steep" 15-20 minutes.
Do not at any point let the water boil or you risk your Knödel losing shape or falling apart. Carefully lift them out with a slotted spoon.
Serve smothered in Iris' Mushroom sauce (recipe to come).