Knödel with the Speck

Melt the butter in a skillet and brown the finely chopped onion until soft and lightly golden. Add the speck Cut it into cubes about 3 mm thick and let it brown in its own fat, without burning it. The cubes should be evenly browned and small, so they will help the dough hold together.

Cut the day-old bread, including the crust, into regular cubes of about half a centimeter. Transfer it to a large bowl and add the mixture of onion and speck still well distributed. Mix carefully, without crushing the bread, to preserve its porous structure.

Beat the eggs, then add the milk, chopped parsley, and chives. Season with pepper and add a little salt, considering the saltiness of the sauce. speck. The mixture It must be smooth and fluid, with the herbs distributed without forming lumps.

Pour the mixture Pour the liquid onto the bread and gently fold it in, distributing the moisture without overworking the dough. Let it rest for about 15 minutes, until the bread is softened but still recognizable. Check the consistency before adding the flour.

Add one or two tablespoons of flour, depending on how much liquid the bread has absorbed; this amount can also be omitted if the dough is already stiff, especially with warm milk. The dough should be moist but malleable; if it's too soft, firm it up with breadcrumbs instead of adding more flour.

Take portions of dough and shape them with your hands into balls the size of a tangerine. Lightly compact the surface, without compressing the bread too much: the Knödel should maintain a porous structure, not become hard or dry. Arrange the finished shapes on a flat surface, keeping them intact.

Bring to a boil Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then gently lower the dumplings into the water. Cook them for about 15 minutes, keeping the water at a simmer: the water should be simmering but not violently shaking the dumplings. When they are firm and cooked through, carefully drain them; the same cooking process applies if you want to serve them in broth.