This Romanian dessert has three layers: a sweet crispy coating, a soft inner dough, and a fruity core. A first bite from the dumpling usually samples the first two, only to slightly reveal the latter and to invite another mouthful. It is a great treat during the plum season, and a delightful way to savor this fruit.
Ingredients (makes between eight to ten dumplings, depending on size):
- A pound of plums
- Two large russet potatoes (about a pound and a half)
- Two eggs
- Half cup of cream of wheat
- Flour (three quarters cup of flour for the middle layer, and a bit more to help mold the dumplings)
- Four tablespoons of butter (a quarter of a cup)
- Two cups of coarse breadcrumbs (i use panko breadcrumbs, as they're bigger; alternatively, put a few slices of bread in the oven at 375F, and when they get hard, grind them to crumbs)
- Brown sugar (one cup for the outer layer, and a bit extra for the plums)
- Spices: cinnamon, vanilla essence (two tablespoons), and a pinch of salt
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Bake the russet potatoes for about an hour (use a toothpick to test when ready). Let them cool a bit, then peel and grind them (I use a potato ricer).
- Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, stir in one tablespoon of vanilla essence and cinnamon to your taste, and cook for a few minutes until they turn a nice golden color. Remove from heat, stir in the brown sugar, and mix till uniform.
- Cut the plums lengthwise in half and remove the pits. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on the plum meat, and let sit for a while. I prefer the smaller Italian plums, as you can use both halves together in each dumpling (if the plums are bigger, use only half per dumpling).
- Gently mix the baked potatoes with the flour, cream of wheat, and a pinch of salt. Add the whisked eggs and one tablespoon of vanilla essence, and mix till uniform. It is ok if the composition is a bit sticky.
- Now to forming the dumplings. Coat your palms with a bit of flour. Grab three-four tablespoons of mixture and gently press it flat to about a third of an inch. Roll the dough uniformly around a plum (or only half of it if the plums are big) - there should be no piece of the plum visible to the outside. Gently sprinkle a bit of flour on the outside, such that they don't stick to one another. Repeat until all dumplings are done.
- Bing enough water to a boil in a large pot. Add the dumplings one by one. Boil them until they raise to the top (about 5-10 minutes), plus another 5 minutes.
- Remove the dumplings from water, one at a time. You need to handle them very gently, as the exterior is fairly soft and can break easily. Roll the dumplings through the golden breadcrumbs mixture, then set aside.
- I prefer to serve them at room temperature, but they're also good warm or cold.
Presentation:
- Choose a nice serving plate or bowl whose color matches the beautiful golden texture of the dumplings.
- I present the dumplings alongside a few extra plums - they are at the core of the recipe. Any guest who also tries a plum will get to appreciate the extra vanilla and cinnamon flavors we added to the dish. Or you can cut the fresh plums lengthwise, remove the pits, and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar (such that they more closely resemble the ones in the prepared dish).
- A few leaves of mint always bring a glimpse of freshness to the visual presentation.
0 comments: