Spinach Dumplings

These spinach dumplings are about as simple as dumplings get. Cooked chopped spinach, soft bread crumbs, melted butter, an egg, and a little parsley mixed together, chilled, rolled into balls, and dropped into boiling water or stock. Five minutes later they float to the top, done.

The bread crumbs and egg bind everything while keeping the dumplings light. Using soft fresh bread crumbs (not dry, seasoned ones from a can) is important. Dry crumbs absorb too much liquid and make dense, heavy balls. Fresh crumbs hold just enough moisture to stay tender.

Chilling the mixture before shaping firms it up so the balls hold together when they hit the boiling water. Skipping the chill means dumplings that fall apart into spinach confetti.

These are meant to be served with a hot meat stew where they soak up the gravy and add a green, herbal contrast to the rich braised meat. Season them at the table with Worcestershire, Tabasco, or onion juice depending on what direction the stew takes.

Kitchen Tips

• Squeeze as much water as possible from the cooked spinach before mixing. Wet spinach makes a loose dough that won’t hold its shape.
• Roll the balls small, about one inch. Larger dumplings take longer to cook through and can stay raw in the center.
• Don’t cover the pot while boiling. Covered dumplings steam and turn gummy instead of staying light.
• These cook fast. Start checking at 4 minutes. Once they float, give them one more minute.

Variations

• Add ¼ cup of grated Parmesan to the mixture for a savory, Italian-style dumpling.
• Use frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, if fresh isn’t available.
• Drop these into chicken soup instead of stew for a lighter meal.