Kluski

Kluski

Course	Appetizer, main, dessert
Place of origin	Poland
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Unleavened dough
Variations	minced meat
Cookbook: Kluski  Media: Kluski

Kluski (singular: klusek or kluska) is a generic Polish name for all kinds of soft, mushy dumplings, usually without a filling. At times the word also refers to noodles and pasta as well, especially when they are served in soup. Kluski are distinct from pierogi and stand-alone pasta dishes. There are many different types of kluski, differing in basic ingredients and preparation method. Some of the most popular include:

• Kopytka ("little hooves") are prepared from mashed potatoes, flour, and eggs. They are similar to Italian gnocchi, differing mostly in shape, as they are supposed to resemble animal hooves.
• Kluski leniwe ("lazy dumplings") are sometimes called pierogi leniwe despite being a type of kluski rather than pierogi. They are made from fresh cheese (twaróg), flour, and eggs, and often sweetened with sugar. The name refers to easy and quick preparation from scratch, ideal for a "lazy" cook. The traditional shape is flat, cut diagonally into diamonds, with a slight check pattern on top. These are one of the few sweet varieties, especially when served to children, although there are savory recipes as well.
• Kluski śląskie ("Silesian dumplings") are round, flattened dumplings about the size of a large coin, made from mashed potatoes, potato flour, and eggs. Usually served with gravy, their distinctive feature is a small hole or dimple ^[1] in the middle. Kluski czarne ("black dumplings"), also known as kluski żelazne ("iron dumplings") or kluski szare ("gray dumplings"), is a variety of kluski śląskie popular in Upper Silesia. In addition to mashed potatoes and flour, grated potatoes are added to the dough, giving it a distinctive color. In regions where these are popular, both white and black dumplings are served at the same meal.
• Kluski lane (poured noodles), a very thin variety formed by pouring watery batter made from eggs and flour into boiling water or directly into soup.
• Kluski kładzione (laid dumplings), a variety made from eggs, milk and flour, formed into a crescent-shaped forms by scraping the thick dough with the tip of a tablespoon and then laying the chunk onto boiling water. Soda water is sometimes added to the dough.
• Pyzy drożdżowe (yeast pyzy), also known as kluski drożdżowe (yeast dumplings), kluski na parze (steamed dumplings), or regionally kluchy z łacha (dumplings from a rag) or in Silesia buchty (not to be confused with a kind rolls of the same name), a variety popular mainly in Greater Poland, distantly related to Czech knedliky (from German Knödel). They differ from other varieties in being prepared from leavened, yeast dough and steamed rather than boiled. Often served with sweet toppings, such as melted butter and sugar, or a sauce from strawberries or plum powidła.
• Pyzy ziemniaczane (potato pyzy), the only variety of kluski with a filling, made from raw or mashed potatoes, flour and eggs. These are usually larger than other kluski, round, with either savory or sweet filling. When sweet, they are also called knedle, while savory ones vary wildly by the region and can be similar to Lithuanian Cepelinai.

See also

• Knedle, a variety of sweet, stuffed dumplings
• Pierogi, a Polish variety of stuffed dumplings
• Klöße, a similar German dish
• Gnocchi, a similar Italian dish
• Nokedli, a similar Hungarian dish

References