Kopytka (Polish Potato Dumplings)

Method

1. 1

   Boil the potatoes whole in salted water until fully tender, about 20 minutes; drain and let them steam-dry briefly.

   💡 Wet potatoes need more flour to hold together, which makes heavier dumplings — let the steam escape first.

2. 2

   Mash or rice the potatoes while still warm and let them cool to just warm.

3. 3

   Work in the egg, flour and salt until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; do not overwork it.

   💡 Kneading kopytka dough too long makes it tough — stop as soon as it holds together.

4. 4

   Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a log about 2 cm thick; cut on the diagonal into 3 cm pieces to form the classic hoof shape.

5. 5

   Drop the dumplings in batches into a large pot of gently boiling salted water; they're done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface.

6. 6

   Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain well.

7. 7

   Melt the butter in a pan, add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden, then toss with the warm dumplings and black pepper before serving.