This is a very traditional Slovak meal.

Ingrediences

• 1 1/2 kg potatoes
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 lard or butter
• 1 onion, minced
• 3 cups sauerkraut, chopped
• 100g smoked bacon, cut into small cubes
• a pinch of ground black pepper
• 5 liters of water
• potato dumplings maker (haluskovac/haluskar) or a spaetzle maker

Directions

1. Heat the lard in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and stir for 1-2 minutes.
2. Stir in sauerkraut and steam until it gets sort of pink color. Stir occasionally.
3. Peel, clean and finely grate the potatoes.

   

4. Sift the flour.
5. Add potatoes, flour, egg, 1 tsp of salt into a large bowl.

   

   Mix properly. Dough should not be watery neither thick. If it’s too watery, add flour. If it’s too thick, add water.
   

   

6. Bring 4-5 liters of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tsp of salt.
7. Use a special tool called potato dumplings maker (haluskovac/haluskar) or a spaetzle maker to form a small potato dumplings above the large pot. Using this tool, formed potato dumplings will fall into the boiling water. Without this tool, quickly use a knife or a teaspoon to form the dumplings above the pot.
   

   

   

8. Cook slowly for 5-6 minutes. Stir gently occasionally to avoid sticking of the dumplings to the bottom of the pot.
   

   

9. Strain the dumplings.
10. Pour a hot water over the dumplings and strain again.
11. Mix dumplings, sauerkraut and black pepper.
12. Fry the bacon in a pan.
13. Serve hot. Pour the fried bacon over the dumplings on each plate according to taste.