Dumplings Like Grandma Used to Make

The wild gander leads his flock through the cool night,Ya-honk! he says, and sounds it down to me like an invitation: The pert may suppose it meaningless, but I listen closer,I find its purpose and place up there toward the November sky. ~Walt Whitman

One of my readers had sent in this question, and it turned out to be a wonderful topic that many were interested in. Dumplings are one of my favorite foods, especially with turkey. I don't make them often because I eat too many of them!

My Grandmother used to make rolled out dumplings to go with her chicken. They were paper thin and so yummy. Unfortunately it was one of those recipes where she just
made a well in the flour and added the ingredients until it "felt right". Does anyone have a recipe for rolled out dumplings to go with chicken 'n dumplins? ~Beth

I can relate because my husband's great grandmother makes the rolled, strip type of dumplings and when I asked how to make them she didn't have a recipe either. Interestingly my mother-in-law makes the drop dumplings and some holidays we've had both kinds of dumplings with each cook watching to see who took which one:) I have
come up with 2 recipes for the strip dumplings. I suggest you try both and keep the one that you like the best!

Dumplings

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

Combine the flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth and let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares or strips and drop one at time into simmering stock. Simmer for 20-30 minutes
until thick. Stir often.

Rolled Dumplings

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup milk or water
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut shortening into flour with a pastry cutter or fork. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. On a floured surface,roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 2 inch strips with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Gently drop dumplings into boiling broth. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

READERS' TIDBITS
Here in my part of Ontario we have Chicken 'n' Sliders,similar to the dropped dumplings. There is no real 'recipe' because it was always done by feel. The general recipe is something like this: Boil your chicken on the stove until done then put it in the oven to crisp the skin while making the sliders. Bring the broth on the stove to boil and check the seasonings in it. Then in a medium size bowl start with one beaten egg and about a cup of the chicken broth (more if there are a lot of people). Then season it with whatever seasonings you like (usually just salt and pepper,but some may want to add other flavours). Add enough flour to make a slightly sticky dough. Place some of this on a floured surface and roll with a floured rolling pin to 1/4" or 1/8" thickness, depending on how you like it. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1" thick strips. By now the broth should be boiling so we take one strip in hand and just tear off pieces as you slide them into the boiling broth.Make sure to stir the pot every now and again so that the 'sliders' don't stick to the pan. Let them cook for about 5 or 10 minutes (we usually take one out and check it) and then serve in a bowl. I know there are actual measurements on some recipe boards, but we have always done it by feel,just like Grandma. ~ Chelsea

Here is a recipe for dumplings from Paula Deen's food show. ~Happy Thanksgiving, Sue

Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Ice water

Mix the flour with the salt and mound together in a mixing bowl. Beginning at the center of the mound, drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sides of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead the dough and form it into ball. Dust a good amount of flour onto a clean work surface. Roll out the dough (it will be firm),working from center to 1/8-inch thick. Let the dough relax for several minutes.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Pull a piece in half and drop the halves into the simmering soup. Repeat. Do not stir the chicken once the dumplings have been added. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes. To serve, ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm
bowls.

I roll out my dumplings and use the "it just feels right method" as previously described. The only difference in the recipes that I do, is to add egg, a pinch or two of baking powder, and a pinch of baking soda to add a little rise. I then roll out the dough, cut it, cover with a clean towel and let the dumplings "rise" a bit. After twenty minutes or so, I drop them into the hot broth. The baking soda, baking powder, and salt are the ingredients that give a little bit of yeast-like rise. All the recipes described by other readers for dumplings would work with this style. ~Jennifer

My mother in law would make up the dough for her buttermilk biscuits and then just roll it out and cut into strips and then drop them into the hot bubbling chicken broth. So, I'm saying that any buttermilk biscuit recipe would work for dumplings. Also one can buy the canned biscuits, plain ole regular kind and flatten each one out and then cut into strips or pinch off little balls and drop them into the hot broth, works just as well! ~Carol http://www.countrylanefolkart.com/

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