Homemade Dumplings

Rolling out dough for dumplings.

Dumplings are small pieces of dough that have been cooked in a stew or soup. According to foodtimeline.org, their origins date back to the Roman period. The word "dumpling" showed up in print during the 17th century. Dumplings are usually made with pieces of chicken and chicken broth, thus becoming known as chicken and dumplings. It is possible to cook dumplings without adding the chicken pieces. You will, however, still need to use broth. The recipe takes fewer than five ingredients, making it something quick and easy to prepare if you are in a pinch.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 cup water
• Large bowl
• Spoon
• Sifter
• Rolling pin
• Cooking pot
• 1 can chicken broth, 14 oz.
• Knife
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Combine flour and water in a large bowl. Stir until the mixture becomes thick. Add more flour if the mixture is still thin.

2. Flour the top of a clean countertop. Lightly scatter flour over a large area of counter top. Use a sifter to scatter the flour to get the best results.

3. Use floured hands to knead the dough until it is plump. Shape it into a ball, and place it on the floured counter top. Dust more flour over the mound of dough if it is too sticky.

4. Roll out the dough using a floured rolling pin. The thinner the dough, the thinner the dumplings will be. Roll the dough out to the thickness you desire.

5. Place a large cooking pot on top of the stove. Pour in the chicken broth and water. Turn the heat to medium high and wait for the liquid to boil.

6. Cut thin strips of dough and place them in the boiling pot one at a time. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into strips.

7. Turn the heat down to allow the dumplings to simmer once all the strips have been placed in the pot. Salt and pepper to taste.

8. Simmer for 10-15 minutes depending on dough thickness. Test to see that the dumpling has been thoroughly cooked before serving.

References

• Food Time Line: History of Dumplings