Knedlíky (Czech Dumplings)

Step 1

Combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it bloom for about 10 minutes. Beat the egg into the milk mixture. Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, stir in the milk and egg mixture, and knead together for a few minutes until smooth. The dough can be a bit tacky but shouldn't be sticky. If it's sticky, add a bit more flour as needed. Cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Step 2

Cut the dough into thirds, and shape each piece of dough into a 2-inch thick rope. Cover with a towel, and let the shaped dumplings rise for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a large pot (at least 10-inches wide), bring salted water to a boil. Boil the dumplings uncovered for 20 minutes flipping them over halfway through. They will expand quite a bit. If they don’t all fit in your pan at once, cook them in batches. Note that if you do need to cook them in batches, plan for 1 hour total cooking time.

Step 4

After removing from the boiling water with a large slotted spoon or spatula, immediately poke them with a toothpick in a few spots to let the steam out. Cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife, thread, or dental floss into about ¾-inch-thick slices.