This Italian Dumpling recipe is from the mountainous Trentino Alto Adige region of northern Italy. The “canederli” isn’t really a dumpling; it’s more like a simple ball of bread, usually stuffed with bacon and cheese cooked in meat broth.
1 Italian bread loaf (10 to 14 slices, crust removed, slightly dried)
1-1/2 cups warm milk – 8 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped – 3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 pound Genoa salami or prosciutto, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese – Chicken broth, heated
6 to 7 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 teaspoon salt – 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg – 1/2 to 1 cup all-purpose flour
Moisten bread with milk. Squeeze out excess milk. In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon with onions for 5 to 8 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Pour off and discard fat. Set pan aside to cool. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Mix bread, onions and bacon, eggs, salami, Parmesan, 4 to 5 tablespoons parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add enough flour to form soft balls about 3 inches in diameter. (You can make balls another size but must adjust cooking time.)
Drop balls, one at a time, into boiling water. Simmer 3-inch balls for 15 min, or until each puffs up and rises to the top. Remove balls carefully. Serve one or two balls per bowl, covered with heated broth. Garnish with remaining parsley.
