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Szilvás gombóc
Plum dumplings
Szilvás gombóc: Hungarian potato dough dumplings hiding whole cinnamon plums, rolled in buttery breadcrumbs
HungarianLate summer in Szabolcs-Szatmár, Hungary's plum country in the far north-east, means a kitchen table covered in szilvás gombóc. Small blue plums are stoned, filled with cinnamon sugar, wrapped in soft potato dough, boiled and then rolled in breadcrumbs toasted in butter. Biting in, you get tender dough, crunchy crumbs and a burst of hot, tart plum juice. Hungarians eat them as a sweet main course after soup, often seconds and thirds. A common mistake is a dough that is too wet: the dumplings split in the water and the plum juice leaks out. Work in just enough flour for a soft dough that does not stick. Chef's tip: test one dumpling first; if it cracks, add a spoonful of flour to the dough before shaping the rest.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ⅓ lb floury potatoesunpeeled
- 7 oz plain flourplus extra for shaping
- 1 egg
- ⅔ oz buttersoftened
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- 12 small plumsstoned, kept whole
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the coating
- 2 ⅛ oz butter
- 4 oz dried breadcrumbs
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
To serve
- 1 tbsp icing sugar (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Boil 1 ⅓ lb floury potatoes in their skins for 20–25 minutes, until tender. Peel while warm, press through a ricer and spread out to cool completely.
25 minStep 2: Knead the potato with 7 oz plain flour, 1 egg, ⅔ oz butter and 1 pinch salt for 2 minutes, until smooth and soft but not sticky.
3 minStep 3: Mix 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon and spoon a little into the hollow of each of the 12 small plums.
3 minStep 4: Divide the dough into 12. Flatten each piece on a floured hand, set a plum in the middle and wrap the dough around it, pinching to seal with no cracks, then roll into a smooth ball.
15 minStep 5: Melt 2 ⅛ oz butter in a wide frying pan over a medium-low heat and toast 4 oz dried breadcrumbs for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until golden. Stir in 2 ⅛ oz sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon and take off the heat.
6 minStep 6: Lower the dumplings into a large pan of gently boiling water. Once they float, simmer for 8–10 minutes more, until the dough is cooked through and springy.
12 minStep 7: Lift them out with a slotted spoon, roll in the warm crumbs until well coated, dust with 1 tbsp icing sugar and serve hot.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 103 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does szilvás gombóc take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 30 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 floury potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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