German Bread Dumplings with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Preparation

Bread dumplings with mushrooms are a classic dish from southern Germany and Austria in which stale bread is turned into fluffy dumplings and combined with a creamy mushroom sauce. It’s ideal as a hearty vegetarian main course.

*This recipe originally ran in Germany on HexClad.eu.

1. Make the dumplings. Cut bread into ½ inch/1 cm cubes and put in a large bowl. In a HexClad 1QT/1 L Hybrid Saucepan, heat milk until just about boiling. Pour over bread. Stir to combine and let sit 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a HexClad 12"/30 cm Hybrid Fry Pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add onion and parsley to bowl with soaked bread. Wipe out the fry pan.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and stir into bread mixture with bread crumbs. Working with damp hands, shape into 8 tight, golf ball-sized dumplings, (about 3 oz/80 grams each).

4. Bring a HexClad 8QT/7.5 L Hybrid Stockpot filled with salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and carefully lower dumplings, one at a time, into the water with a slotted spoon. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes until dumplings are warm and cooked through. Using the spoon, transfer the cooked dumplings to plates.

5. Meanwhile, make the mushroom ragout. In a medium heatproof bowl, cover porcini with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes until mushrooms are softened. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid separately. Finely chop the porcini.

6. In a HexClad 12"/30 cm Hybrid Fry Pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium heatproof bowl.

7. Return pan to high heat and add mushrooms and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and light golden, about 5 minutes. Return onion mixture to pan along with the porcini and cook, stirring, to reheat, 1 minute more. 

8. Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in reserved porcini liquid, cream, and broth. Whisk cornstarch into ¼ cup water and add to pan. Boil until sauce is thickened, 2 to 5 minutes. 

9. Transfer cooked dumplings to the sauce and stir to coat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.