Czech Potato Knedliky with Meat

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How to make knedliky with meat? Take a quarter of the potatoes called for, wash them, and put them in a pot of water. Set it over medium heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook the potatoes for 25–35 minutes, depending on size. They're done when a sharp knife slides in easily. Drain and let them cool.

2. Step 2:

   

   When the boiled potatoes are nearly done, start grating the remaining raw potatoes on the fine holes of a grater, as you would for potato pancakes.

3. Step 3:

   

   Line a colander set in a deep bowl with a linen towel. Put the grated potato on it, gather the corners into a bundle, and squeeze out the excess liquid—but don't overdo it; the mixture should stay slightly moist.

4. Step 4:

   

   Put the grated potato in a separate bowl. Peel the onions and grate one of them on the same grater. Add the grated onion to the potato and mix.

5. Step 5:

   

   Peel the boiled potatoes and grate them on the fine holes too. Add them to the bowl with the raw potato-onion mixture, along with half the starch (1.5 tbsp) and salt to taste. Mix. The potato dough is ready.

6. Step 6:

   

   Test the dough: bring a little water to a boil and drop in a ball of dough. Cook it for 4 minutes—if it holds together, you're good. If not, add a bit more starch and test again.

7. Step 7:

   

   Make the filling: take the ground meat (mine is beef and pork). Finely dice another onion. Combine the meat and onion in a bowl, add salt and ground black pepper, and mix until smooth.

8. Step 8:

   

   Dust a board or work surface with potato starch. Divide the potato dough into 8 equal pieces. Flatten each into a round and place a spoonful of meat filling in the center.

9. Step 9:

   

   Bring the edges of the potato dough up around the filling to form an oblong dumpling (or make them round—shape them however you like). Set the finished knedliky on a plastic-wrap-lined board or surface.

10. Step 10:

    

    Stir the remaining starch (1.5 tbsp) into half a cup of water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then pour in the starch slurry in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and very gently lower the knedliky into the barely simmering water. Cook them for 20 minutes.

11. Step 11:

    

    Meanwhile, make the topping. Dice the bacon and the remaining onion. Heat a little vegetable oil in a skillet and add the onion and bacon. Cook over low heat until golden, then season with salt to taste at the end.

12. Step 12:

    

    After 20 minutes, carefully lift the knedliky out with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a plate. Spoon the onion-and-bacon topping over them and serve hot right away. Enjoy!