‘LAZY’ DUMPLINGS WITH SUGARY BROWN BUTTER

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‘Lazy’ dumplings have a dreamy melt-in-your-mouth texture and an indisputably lovely delicate, sweet flavour. This would normally be made with twaróg, a fresh curd cheese that you find everywhere in Poland, but I have replaced it with ricotta as I prefer the milder flavour and creamier texture. {Serves 4}

3 eggs, separated

80 g (3 oz/6 tablespoons) salted butter, softened

500 g (1 lb 2 oz/2¼ cups) ricotta

150 g (5 oz/11/8 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

50 g (1¾ oz/1/3 cup) dried breadcrumbs

large pinch of ground cinnamon

soured cream, to serve

cinnamon, to garnish

Blend the egg yolks with half of the butter until smooth (this may take a little time). Add the ricotta and blend again until completely combined. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks and slowly add these to the mixture. Sift in the flour and mix gently to combine. Blend it all together with a pinch of salt.

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil while you shape the dumplings.

Dust a clean work surface with flour and tip the mixture onto it. Start to knead the mixture into a ball, adding more flour if it feels too sticky. After 5 minutes, separate the mixture into two or three pieces and roll them into long cylinders. Be gentle, as this dough is soft and fragile. Once you’ve rolled them out, form them into three flattish snake-shapes, making sure they’re covered in flour. Be careful with the flour, as you don’t want the dumplings to become too dense, but if the mixture is so sticky it is unmanageable then there is not enough flour, so add it in bit by bit, until it’s just workable for you.

Chop the snakes into even, diagonal, bite-sized pieces and drop into the boiling water, in batches. Once they float to the top, give them 2–3 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a plate while you cook the rest.

Make the sauce: melt the remaining butter in a pan. When it is bubbling add the sugar and stir together for a couple of minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and fry until golden, then add the cinnamon.

Add the dumplings to the pan and coat in the delicious mixture. Serve with a dollop of soured cream.

{Time: 40 minutes}

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