Blueberry Dumplings

There are dishes that I like and then there are apricot dumplings. When you are lucky enough to have a generous fruit bearing apricot tree in your backyard, these sweet, colorful and delicious dumplings perfectly mark the end of summer. That is back home in Italy. Here in Northern California, an apricot bounty is not within my gardening reach. So instead, we turn to blueberry dumplings to add a fruity touch to a special weekday dinner. Sounds delicious? Wait until you try them. Come and cook with us!

Most of you are probably familiar with gnocchi, which are simple Italian potato dumplings that are usually served with heavy fare such as a mushroom or gorgonzola sauce. What is lesser known, is that the dough used to make gnocchi, is versatile. It may be used to turn apricots, plums, strawberries and even blueberries into traditional Austrian fruit dumplings which at home are not too sweet and, thus, can be served as a main meal just like riebel, milk rice or bread budding.

The key to success is using the right potatoes. We select the “firm-cooking” kind, and I have had the best results with the Yukon gold type. The issue is that if the potatoes are too wet, then the dough needs a disproportional amount of flour which will make it chewy. As will overworking the dough. So follow the instructions of the recipe – details matter in this case. This is clearly not your run-off-the-mill quick one-pot dish, but it is still simple and especially fun to prepare if you have one or two little helpers to roll the dumplings into shape.

If you have made gnocchi before, this will be a breeze. If you are new to the world of potato dough, don’t be afraid and take the plunge. You will hopefully enjoy making them as much as eating them. Let us know what you think. Come and cook with us!

Blueberry Dumplings