A soup classics - The semolina dumpling soup

If it gets colder outside, then nothing is about a fine soup to warm up again. One of the classic dishes of the Austrian kitchen is definitely the semolina dumpling soup. You can really call it "soulfood".

Of course you can, as I used to, if it must go fast grab the packer-soup variant. But a homemade soup does not only taste heavenly, it is also much healthier. And since you have a fully equipped kitchen in your apartment, why not try it out and enjoy it?

And if you're still wondering why I have purple carrots, no, this is not a special carrot type for semolina dumplings’ soup, I've found them by chance at the supermarket. I've served the semolina dumplings here with a homemade vegetable soup because it is simpler to make and faster than the traditional beef soup. As an alternative you can also take a soup cube ...

In Austria, there is a type of semolina, especially for dumplings. This one is quite fine and has some extra spices in it. So I used this one for this recipe. I don’t know, if this special semolina is available outside of the German-speaking countries, but it should work out quite well with other types of durum wheat semolina.

If you want to make a already more of the semolina dumpling soup to have it ready whenever you area hungry, then you can freeze the dumplings and the soup. Usually it is better separated.

Instructions for the semolina dumpling soup

Preparation 30 minutes

Cooking time 1 hour for the soup

4 servings

Ingredients

For the semolina dumplings

1 egg

1 pinch of salt

1 tbsp butter (30g)

3 tbsp semolina (about 65-70g)

1 pinch of nutmeg grated

For the vegetable soup

1 liter of water

1 bunch soup vegetables

2-3 pcs of onions

herbs laurel, peppercorns, possibly juniper, lovage, chives for garnish

Preparation

The butter and the egg should be warm, so take it out of the fridge in time. Or if it has to go fast, warm the butter in the microwave and the egg in warm water.

First you make the soup

Bring about 1 liter of cold water together with the soup vegetables, onions and spices to boil and let them simmer about 45 minutes at low temperature. Then remove the vegetables and season the soup with salt and pepper, a little bit of chives is also very fine. Do not make a big effort for the soup, it is enough to halve the onions and cook with the shell (which makes a nice color, by the way), the vegetables just wash well, cut in larger pieces. Peeling is not necessary.

Then it goes to the dumplings

Mix the butter in a bowl, then mix the egg, salt, nutmeg and the semolina. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.

Then shape the dumplings with two spoons. With one spoon you take the dough out of the bowl, with the second you care for the shape.

You then cook the dumplings for 5 minutes in the soup or in slightly salted water. The water should now simmer lightly. I then also add at this time usually once again small cut carrots to the soup, the ones from before are already too soft. Then let the dumplings rest in the water/soup for 15 minutes. Garnish with chives.

If you are wondering about the bite in the dumpling, this is the original and traditional way to serve them. There are also reports of this interesting way of serving from the Middle Ages. Especially to the international guests of the kings the dumplings were always already half served. Why this? This was unfortunately not passed on. In my photo, however, it could also be that I did not had a look for a few second, and someone was already very hungry.