Krumpligombóc Leves ~ Potato Dumplings Soup

This is delicious!! It's basic, simple and so very, very tasty! The dumplings took some time, but I'd definitely make it again and again! 

Prep Time: 60-120 minutes

Serves: 6-8 

Ingredients: 

Soup:

• 6-7 (about 2.5 pounds) large potatoes peeled cut into 1" cubes (speeds cooking time)
• 3 tbsp lard or olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 large carrots thinly sliced
• 1 large parsnip thinly sliced
• 1 small tomato finely chopped
• 1 hot pepper finely chopped
• 7-8 slices of bacon (alt: sausage, smoke ham)
• 1/4 cup paprika 
• 2 tbsp hot pepper flakes
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 L broth (from cooking the potatos)

Dumplings: 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2.5 lbs or 6 large potatoes

Method:

1. Put cut potato into large pot with about 2 liters of water & 1 tsp salt.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cook until potatoes are tender (when poked with a fork, they fall off the fork)
3. In another pot or frying pan fry cut up bacon until browned. 
4. Add to bacon; lard, chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced parsnip, tomato and hot pepper. Cover and sweat until all are tender. 
5. Next, add paprika, black pepper, pepper flakes and parsley. Stir gently to mix. 
6. Remove from heat and set aside. 
7. When potato is cooked (about 20 minutes) use slotted spoon to remove them to large bowl, saving the potato cooking water. 
8. Add the vegetable mixture to the saved potato water. Add about 1 litre more of water. Bring to boil and then let simmer (slow boil).
9. Mash the potatoes.
10. Once potatoes are cooled, add the flour, eggs, salt and oil, knead to make dough.
11. Shape dough into little balls or dumplings 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter (size of your thumb nail). I wasn't sure about the consistency of the dough. Mine was rather sticky so I dusted my hands with flour to help with the dumpling rolling. 
12. Drop into soup and cook 6-7 minutes.