Tyrolean Tikki (Kaspressknödel)

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Kaspressknödel (cheese dumplings)

 Ingredients:

 5 bread rolls (dry/coarse/day-old)
2 medium-sized onions - finely chopped 
2 medium-sized eggs
Parsley - 2 heaped tablespoons of dry parsley or a handful of fresh leaves
500gms Shredded cheese (Emmental or similar consistency)
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Milk - as required
Olive oil - as required

 Serves: Who can tell with tikkis! (approx. 15 small dumplings)

 My mother-in-law has been forever flummoxed by the predicament of having a vegetarian in the household. Several of her experiments have failed spectacularly despite best intentions but this one is my personal favourite, one I needed to recreate for myself. These flat-pressed dumplings instinctively remind me of tikkis* although they taste nothing like them. My MiL learned the recipe from one of her best friends, Helga, who has been a cook with a wealthy vegetarian family for over 50 years. Google tells me Kaspressknödel originates from South Tyrol (Austria) but from the recipes online I see that our version has evolved in its local settings. So here it is, presenting Tyrolean Tikki - from South Tyrol to India via Bavarian expert, Helga.
After cheese
Before cheese
Method:
Chop bread rolls into small cubes. Crack the eggs open and add them to the cubes. Follow up with parsley, salt, pepper (more pepper the better), chopped onions. Knead the mix well.

Add shredded cheese next and knead again, using warm milk sparingly to reach the consistency you see on the right. Let it stand for approx. 15 minutes.




Dip your fingers in water and, taking a handful of dough at a time, start pressing small quantities into flat dumplings in a size of your choice. I make smaller dumplings to ensure that the eggs are cooked through but my MiL prefers dumplings double the size you see below.

 Heat some oil in a pan and shallow-fry the dumplings on medium heat. Wait till they are golden brown. Fertig!




*Tikki: A cutlet or croquette, usually made of potatoes.



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