Step 1

First, in your soup pot, heat the milk on low heat, with half the butter in it. While that heats, in a mixing bowl, put 1 1/2 cups flour. Add the salt in with a fork or whisk. Make a well in the middle and into this crack the eggs.

Step 2

Mix the eggs in, starting in the middle and gradually incorporating in the flour from around the sides. You want the dough to be pretty sticky. But you can add up to 1/4 cup more flour if you fell you must. Don’t get carried away, just mix until blended. Too much mixing makes tough dough.

Step 3

As the milk comes to a simmer, add spoonfuls of the dumpling dough and at this point I add the rest of the butter. Sometimes though, I forget and add it just before eating.

Step 4

Try to drop them in their own little spots as opposed to on top of each other. Then let them just simmer. For about 10 minutes they simmer, with you hovering nearby, turning the heat down if it bubbles up too high. You will be amazed at the transformation! Like magic they went from pebbles of dough to puffy boulders of dumplings. Now gently lift each dumpling up with a large spoon and flip it over. They will stick to the bottom of the pan a little, but not much. (Especially if you spray with non-stick stuff first, but I usually don’t remember that until its time to clean the pot).

Step 5

Now put a lid on the pot and cook for another 10 minutes. If it boils up and spills over and makes a mess on your stove, you are doing it right! If you can somehow avoid the mess, crack the lid, turn down the heat, well thats great.

Step 6

When you cut open a dumpling, it should be full of holes, not gummy. Even without baking soda or powder, they raise up, just from the eggs. Amazing.Sprinkle with salt and pepper, let cool and dig in. I have to go wipe up my drool now.