kleine OÖ Knödelkunde (englisch)

Small Upper Austrian dumpling theory

Dumplings are Upper Austria’s answer to ravioli. They exist in all different variations and are ideal, depending on portions and dimensions, as a main dish, side dish or starter. The dumpling as a side dish, have already been mentioned in detail in the chapter on page 86. Regardless of how you use the dumplings in everyday kitchen life, the following basic rules count:

A dumpling is formed easier, if the filling for the dumpling is frozen before forming the dumpling. The dough can then be rounded better and the filling will not squeeze out of the dumpling.
Standard weight for the dumpling is 30 to 40 grams for the filling and 30 to 40 grams for the dough. When dough and filling are balanced, then the dumplings will taste best
The smaller the dumplings, the more appetizing they look and the faster they boil.
A standard portion of dumplings is 4 to 5 per person. “dumpling tigers” receive a little more and light eaters receive a little less.

A small dumpling theory from Prof. Christoph Wagner:

If the dumpling is, as described by a well known Upper Austrian Culinary historian Franz Maier-Bruck “the joint element of all Austrian dishes”, then this applies in particular for the Upper Austrian cuisine. The classical ingredients for the dumpling are cubes from white bread buns, butter, eggs, milk, flour, onions and chopped parsley which every housewife uses in different amounts. The preparation of which are also classed into two “dumpling theories” whereby the white bread is first soaked in milk and eggs and then flour is added and dough formed or the other method whereby the white bread cubes are first roasted in butter and onions and then flour, eggs and milk are added and the dough is formed.

Which ever method you decide to use, the dumplings are served to roast pork and smoked port as well as to sweet bread, venison, mushroom sauce and all known ragouts.

The Upper Austrian Earth Ball

An old Upper Austrian saying goes “if you don’t eat a dumpling, then you will be hungry all day long”. Indeed if you are looking for a suitable claim or symbol for the cuisine of the province above the river Enns, then you need look no further: the dumpling is the perfect culinary trademark.

The foundation for what was later to become the institution “dumpling day”, was laid approx. four thousand years ago. Old Upper Austrian cook books have proven to be ideal for the discovery of old forgotten dumpling recipes such as: burnt dumplings, brown semolina dumplings, embedded dumplings, sun dried dumplings, backed rice dumplings, smoked dumplings or pickled dumplings to the ever popular beacon, dripping and meat dumplings and joined bohemian or mixed dumplings. Dumplings are not meals for slimmers, everybody knows that even into the deepest valleys of the Salzkammergut to the last hills of the Mühlviertel, and yet the popularity of the dumpling in the province above the river Enns is unbroken.

A Few thoughts about the homeland

In the spring the blossoming flowers, in summer the golden fields, in autumn the juicy fruits, in winter the snow covered mountains – that is Upper Austria. Cristal clear rivers and lakes invite to go bathing or fishing, lushes meadows invite for a pick nick for two, forests and pine trees allow shadowy walks and majestic mountains offer – once having climbed them – a wonderful panoramic view of the beautiful countryside of the Salzkammergut.

This is the countryside where I grew up. On the farmhouse of my grandparents, only a bend away from our inn. The childhood was a happy one, but work was hard on the steep mountainous country and waste was a foreign word. This is where my grandmother taught me the proper use of foods. I often think about my grandfather and his age old leather trousers which he in turn inherited from his father.

A particular hectic was to be found on the farm on slaughter days. There were no fridges back then and so the slaughtered pig was immediately cutup and turned into sausages, laid into salt and roasted by my grandmother.

On the farm of my grandparents we also had pears, apples, cherries and prunes which were sold at the front door. The other fruits were pressed and turned into Schnaps, juices or cider during the long winter months.

During my youth the work of the farmers was continuously forced into the background due to the use of new technologies. Foods were often mass produced which did not help the quality. However, as an Innkeeper and cook by passion, I wanted to offer my guests the same good things which I used when cooking for my own family. Products from the region, meat from the local farms from animals kept naturally, geese which spent a nice summer on the meadows, lamb meat from lamb which enjoyed the spring sun with their mothers. Things that were important to me then are equally important to me now, that is why I visit my producers from time to time, who have over the years become good friends. I respect their work and their products. I take my grandchildren with me in the car and show them how large the sheep are, how the geese cry out and why there are brown, white and sometimes even light green eggs in the chickens nests. Often early in the morning we visit a farm where a cock is crowing and we get fresh milk or a natural apple juice for breakfast.

If you happen to be interested now, then of course you can do an excursion when you stay with us on holiday. Our farmers who at the same time are landscapers and love their work, will gladly show you the sources of energy for our bodies. The sources which have to be of a high quality to enable us to stay fit and healthy to an old age. That is why I do not use just any old ingredients but the best and freshest which my producers from the Salzkammergut can deliver. For your health, for your pleasure and for your stay in our beautiful country.

Does a typical Upper Austrian Cuisine exist? Ingrid Pernkopf, Innkeeper from Gmunden (Guesthouse Grünberg on the lake) and the cookery book best selling author Christoph Wagner (born in Linz) were on a culinary search mission in the Province above the river Enns. They collected traditional recipes, visited cooks and friends, farmers and producers and tasted their way through. The tasty result is a complete cook book which serves the long Upper Austrian fish tradition as well as the unique dumplings or sweets for the sweet tooth’s.

It incorporates 520 classical and adapted recipes with countless possibilities of variations, laced with historical cultural anecdotes and information on pleasurable raw materials. The result is here, a well worth Upper Austrian basic cookery book.