German Gnocchi: Schupfnudeln and Sauerkraut

/ February 12, 2015

I have been dying to share this recipe with all those gnocchi enthusiasts whose posts have been cheering me up over these cold winter months: here’s the German version of these delicious potato dumplings, which is traditionally served with Sauerkraut. What else. It’s been cold and miserable here in Old Blighty, The strong winds have calmed down now, but that means an end to blue skies – instead we are being treated to some rather uninspiring fog. I had made a lovely dessert to bring over to Angie’s at The Novice Gardener today, but the lack of light made the photographs look so unappealing that I decided to embrace the sheer miserableness of the weather and go for comfort food, These potato dumpling are made and eaten all over southern Germany, you’ll find them in restaurants as well as in Christmas markets and beer festivals. In my region they are commonly called ‘Bubaspitzle’, ‘little boy’s tips,’ a name that clearly goes back to more innocent times. Whereas Italian gnocchi are light, tossed in a little sage-infused butter, these dumplings are more on the hearty side, hence the sauerkraut. Although some people believe in making their own sauerkraut, I tend to buy it – thanks to my Jewish and Polish neighbours, every supermarket in our part of London stocks it. I wouldn’t eat it straight out of the jar, though – it benefits from adding a little onion, white wine and – if you’re ok with pork – some smoked bacon or pancetta. Sauerkraut tastes wonderful with mashed potatoes or blinis, as well as accompanying all sorts of sausages and meats. Check out its health benefits – even with a glass of wine and some pancetta it can easily out-superfood kale. In that case I’d give the sausages a miss, though.Schupfnudeln and Sauerkraut 1

Both the dumplings and the Sauerkraut make for an excellent vegetarian dish – simply use clarified butter or vegetable oil for frying, and leave out the bacon. I would add some vegetable stock powder, though, to balance the acidity of the cabbage. Many vegetarian friends of mine have despaired about that German tendency to add bacon to even the most innocent vegetable dish, in the misguided belief that these tiny little bits of deliciousness don’t really count as meat.

Schupfnudeln with Sauerkraut (serves 6)

For the Schupfnudeln:

  • 500g potatoes, boiled the previous day
  • 500g plain flour
  • 2-3 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • salt, to taste
  • 3-4 tbs clarified butter or lard

For the Sauerkraut:

  • 1 jar of Sauerkraut (750g)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 50g smoked streaky bacon (optional)
  • 1 cooking apple, finely chopped
  • 1 tbs juniper seeds
  • 1/2 tsp of caraway seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 glass of white wine
  • 1 glass of water (add vegetable stock powder if you are leaving out the meat)
  • 50g goose fat or clarified butter (ghee)
  • salt, pepper to taste

Begin by mashing the potatoes – a ricer or a moulin work brilliantly. Add about 2/3 of the flour and 2 eggs and mix it with a wooden spoon or your hands. Schupfnudeln dough You want to get a fairly firm dough that holds together to form dumplings the shape and size of an adult finger- add more flour and another egg, as necessary. Season with the nutmeg and salt. Keep them on a well-sloured surface. Schupfnudeln rolled out Once you’re ready, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add some salt and boil the dumplings in portions until they float to the surface. Drain them and leave them to dry on a lightly floured surface while you cook the rest. Schupfnudeln boiled Now is a good time to start the Sauerkraut, adding the secret ingredients that turn it from fermented cabbage into the dish that gave my people their name: Sauerkraut ingredients Toss the finely chopped onions and bacon in a little goose fat or clarified butter; once the onion is translucent and the bacon fat is melting you can add the sauerkraut and the apple. Add the spices and a glass of dry white wine: Sauerkraut wine Stir a little, cover and let it simmer ever so lightly for about 20 minutes. In that time you can heat some clarified butter or lard in your frying pan. In portions, toss the dumplings in the fat to give them an even golden colour. Finally serve – ideally with a nice wheat beer!Schupfnudeln finished Prost Mahlzeit, and a very happy Fiesta Friday to all of you! I’ll be heading over to Angie’s now to se what she and her co-hosts, the amazing Suzanne @apuginthekitchen and Sue @birgerbird, are up to! Fiesta Friday Badge Button I was featured

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60 thoughts on “German Gnocchi: Schupfnudeln and Sauerkraut”

    • We are quite heavily influenced by Italian cuisine! Although these are quite common in the South, you probably wouldn’t get them north of Frankfurt (commonly known as the ‘white sausage equator’, another dish you can’t really find north of Frankfurt, either)

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  3. Did you mention them in a post about Christmas markets? I think I saw them sometime ago on Christie’s blog. They are so delicious … and to imagine that you can buy them, just like that, in any pub or restaurant …

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  5. Oh wow, I love this dish! I used to eat it when I worked in Munich and haven’t had it since. And the tip about the secret ingredients for the sauerkraut are brilliant – I am so very definitely going to make this soon!

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  6. This is a totally “new to me” recipe, Ginger…and I LOVE it! I’m selfishly quite happy your dessert photos didn’t measure up, because I wouldn’t have been able to drool over this. Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!

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    • I knew you did – and so many people I know are doing it that I am really starting to wonder if I have been missing a trick! How many cabbages do you use when you make a batch? If I did it it would have to be my own cabbage …

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      • It is always fun to make something from veggies in your garden which is what I did. That’s why my sauerkraut was so good 🙂 It depends on the size of your garden as cabbage do take up some space; the size of the crock you are using and how much you want to make. Cabbages come in different sizes depending on their growing conditions. You have to weigh all of the factors and figure out what works best for you. Good luck!

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    • Thank you, Suzanne – your awareness of German food depends on immigration patterns: if you have many people from a particular place in your area you’ll get to know their food! I grew up with lots of Turkish shops and restaurants nearby, which I miss now very much living in a predominantly Indian/Pakistani neighbourhood. A couple of onion bhaji or a samosa help to numb the pain, though 😉

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  10. I really love spaetzle (although have never tried making it from scratch) and these look so tasty and comforting! I’m definitely going to try make a batch of your dumplings. I’ve been meaning to try my hand at home made apfelrotkohl and might serve these dumplings with that.

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  11. This is my all time favorite German food combo. Nothing like a steaming bowl of these with chunks of bacon and good sauerkraut. After Frühlingsfest you really couldn’t find them anywhere until the Weindorf would open in late August. Luckily my husband spoils me when I have a craving and he will whip this little dish up on a rainy day in the summer. We have never made fresh gnocchi though. Will have to try it out.

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  12. Wonderful dumplings. I just made gnocchi the other day, but I’ll try this variant next time, I bet it would be a huge success in this potato-loving household. I do make my own sauerkraut, I find there is something soothing in the whole process: shredding the cabbage into thin strips, then pressing it in your hands to extract the juices, adding flavorful spices… just love it, with or without bacon 🙂

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  18. I have never made my own Schnupfnudeln but they look great. I’m a huge fan of the rustic look, when you can tell that something is homemade. That makes a meal even better. I’m loving it and should try it soon. 🙂 Happy Fiesta Friday.

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  19. Pingback: Fiesta Friday #55 | The Novice Gardener

  22. I just love sauerkraut and can eat a bowl of it as a meal! I’ve not had schupfnudln but am sure I would love it too. I like that you let them dry after boiling them. That would help them from breaking up when sauteeing them. Delicious Ginger!

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  23. Well, I know what I’m making next. Your recipes have such an impact on me, I know I have a little German blood in me but I swear I must have lived deep in the forests of Bavaria in my former life because it’s always without a doubt these types of recipes that get me more motivated to cook from another blogger’s blog than anywhere else. I love the title of these little guys too! Thank you Ginger and have a great time at the party this week and a wonderful weekend!

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  29. Hey Ginger, i don’t know how I missed this post! So many good hints about serving sauerkraut and the dumplings look amazing.

    I have made a little study over the years about some aspects of food history just because it fascinates me so! Here’s a few things I picked up.

    There was widespread starvation though out Europe, prior to Columbus – the waters were becoming fished out, farming was always iffy, blights, droughts, and the dark ages, which weren’t just dark in literacy. Scientists believe they were called so because the skies were dark from ash from several large volcanos for a long time which made farming difficult. When ships began to brave the seas and find new fishing sources, it basically saved Europe.

    New food items were introduced, including Maize which was ordered to be planted in many areas of Italy. Unfortunately, the Europeans didn’t know how to dry and rehydrate it to make it edible like the native Americans did (Hominy) and not used to it, ate it but starved and suffered all kinds of ailments and issues with nutrition and died from it by the thousands. That maize is probably why polenta is popular in Italy, today.

    The potato, of course, was another item, and we all know how that went in the long run!

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  30. Pingback: Comfort Food at its best: Dumplings and Kraut | Ginger&Bread

  31. This recipe looks awesome. I’ll have to show it to my girlfriend who is from Augsburg, Germany. She made me a dish of Schupfnudeln with Sauerkraut a couple of weeks ago but I can’t imagine not using bacon. The bacon and dripping give it that extra flavor. I buy a lean center cut bacon.

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