Kaspressknödel — Austria

Kaspressknödel are dumplings made from stale bread soaked in milk, bound with egg, and mixed generously with grated mountain cheese and chopped chives or parsley. Unlike boiled dumplings, they are shaped into flattened patties and pan-fried in butter until a golden crust forms on each side, which is what the 'press' in the name refers to. The dish is reported from Austria's alpine regions, where it belongs to the everyday repertoire of mountain-hut and farmhouse cooking. It is served either dropped into a bowl of hot, clear beef broth as a filling soup course, or plated on its own with a side of sauerkraut or a green salad. To prepare it, day-old bread cubes are soaked in warm milk until soft, then combined with sautéed onion, egg, grated cheese, and herbs into a firm, cohesive mixture. Portions are shaped by hand into flat, round cakes and rested briefly before being fried in butter over medium heat until crisp and heated through. This Austrian version relies on a firm alpine cheese, such as a mild mountain cheese, which melts into long strands as it fries and gives the dumpling its characteristic pull. Serving it in broth rather than only as a fried side dish is common here, turning a simple bread dumpling into a substantial one-bowl meal.