HALUSKY: SLOVAK POTATO DUMPLINGS

Ingredients

• 3 medium potatoes, peeled
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup bryndza or a similar semi-soft sheep cheese like ricotta
• 1/4 cup small bacon bits (optional as garnish)
• 1 handful fresh dill, chopped (optional as garnish)
• 1 handful fresh chives, chopped (optional as garnish)

How to Make

Stage 1 - Create Halusky Dough

1. Start by grating your peeled potatoes into a large bowl. The smaller the size of the grate, the better. Continue until you’ve grated all of your potatoes
2. To remove excess moisture from your potatoes (which might cause your halusky to fall apart), strain your shredded potatoes through a colander. Ideally, keep your colander over a smaller bowl where you can collect the liquid. The liquid (and the starch that starts to separate to the bottom) can serve as a beautiful emulsifier either for these dumplings or for anything else
3. After straining, return your grated potatoes to the large bowl
4. Next, start to ladle your flour mix in with the potatoes. You want to add it in bit by bit, making sure that each bit of flour has integrated well into the grated potatoes before adding the next batch of flour. Repeat until all your flour has been added and you’ve created a super thick dough that, if you stick the ladle straight in, will keep the ladle sticking straight up

Stage 2 - Boil and Cook Halusky

1. Take a large stockpot full of water (with your teaspoon of salt) and bring to a boil over high heat. While the water is coming to a boil, transfer your dough to either a cutting board, a plate, or another flat surface
2. Once the water has come to a running boil, use either a spoon or knife to scrape small pieces of your haluschky dough into the water. Here you can make your dumplings as small or as large as you’d like (we preferred small personally)
3. Let your dumplings boil in the water. They will start by sinking to the bottom, but once they’ve cooked (around the 2-3 minute mark), they will start to rise and float to the top
4. Take a slotted spoon or ladle to fish out the haluschky that are cooked and floating to the top. Set either into a bowl or onto a plate, and set aside
5. Repeat and continue until you’ve created dumplings out of all your dough

Stage 3 - Add Finishing Touches to Halusky

1. If making bacon, take the bacon over medium-high heat in a sauté pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until brown and crispy. Once cooked, strain bacon bits of excess oil and set aside for a brief moment
2. Place your halusky into a mixing bowl and add your ricotta. Mix well together until all of your dumplings are nicely coated with cheese

To serve, garnish with your freshly cooked bacon, fresh chives and fresh dill. Enjoy!