Brezenknödel
Brezenknödel: Bavarian pretzel dumplings with parsley
GermanBrezenknödel are what thrifty Munich kitchens make from yesterday's pretzels: the cubes soak in warm milk with egg, onion and parsley, then are shaped into dumplings with a faintly salty, malty crust flavour running through them. They are served on Sundays in place of bread dumplings, alongside a creamy mushroom sauce or a pile of red cabbage, and leftovers are sliced and fried the next morning. The big mistake is adding too much milk: the mixture should hold when squeezed, not drip. Chef's tip: pick off most of the coarse salt before cubing the pretzels, otherwise the dumplings end up far too salty.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut the 10 ½ oz day-old soft pretzels into 1 cm cubes and put them in a large bowl. Warm the ¾ cup milk until hand-hot and pour it over, toss and leave for 10 minutes.
12 minStep 2: Meanwhile melt the ⅔ oz butter in a small pan over a medium-low heat and soften the 1 onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and take off the heat.
6 minStep 3: Add the onion mixture, 2 eggs, 1 pinch grated nutmeg and 1 pinch black pepper to the soaked pretzels and knead with your hands for a minute until it binds. It should hold together when squeezed; if it is wet, work in the 2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs.
3 minStep 4: With wet hands, shape 8 round dumplings, pressing firmly so there are no cracks.
5 minStep 5: Bring the 12 ½ cups salted water for simmering to the boil, then turn it down until it barely trembles. Slide the dumplings in and simmer gently for 18–20 minutes without a lid; they float and feel springy when done. A rolling boil makes them fall apart.
20 minStep 6: Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain for a moment and serve with mushroom cream sauce or red cabbage.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does brezenknödel take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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