There’s nothing like a fond remembrance and a matching recipe to go with it to put a shine on the day, not to mention many days to come, and Arlington cook Bob Reis shares just such a treat with us.
“Your column in the May 9 Forum brings back so many memories of my childhood,” he writes. “My
family is of German/Russian descent (Germans from Russia) who settled in North Dakota in the early part of the last century. Knoephla and other ‘flour based’ foods were a staple at our house while growing up.
“Every family had just a little different turn on how they made and served their knoephla and, of course, I thought my mother’s was the best. The only difference in the recipe you published and my mother’s is that she used ‘dry curd’ cottage cheese. Safeway used to carry this product, but I have not seen it on the shelf in years.
“I have had knoephla with several different fillings, but my favorite is potato and onion, ‘grumbeara’ (literally ground berry) knoephla. The filling is simply onions browned in lots of butter, with potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, steamed and fried until brown, mashed coarsely, cooled and then used as the filling. Mom would top the cooked knoephla with browned bread crumbs and lots of butter.”
Continuing his mouth-watering reminiscence, Bob says, “Some people served their knoephla with sour cream, but in our family, knoephla was always served with a leaf lettuce salad with a sweet cream and vinegar dressing. We would sop the knoephla in the salad dressing and Mom would have to make extra so we would not drain the salad of all the dressing.
“The North Dakota Historical Society of Germans from Russia in Bismark, N.D., have several cookbooks for sale that feature many family recipes from ‘Germans from Russia’ that include several variations of knoephla and many other types of farm food.”
Bob adds, “Thanks for bringing back some memories of my childhood,” and shares his mother’s recipe for the salad. He notes, “I like my dressing with a little more of the vinegar bite, so I use a bit more,” and cautions, “Somehow, this dressing only works with leaf lettuce. I have tried it with head lettuce and it was not so good.”
And, for those of you who are really revved up at the possibility of making knoepha but missed or misplaced Lavon Woodey’s recent how-to for this delicious specialty, we’ll have that again, too. And just think — now we have two choices — make the recipe as printed and serve it with the sour cream, or instead guestimate the amounts of onion and potato needed for Bob’s favorite filling instead, and also make the salad with plenty of dressing for knoephla sopping.
Bob Reis’ mother’s German/Russian leaf lettuce salad
About 1/2 head leaf lettuce, red or green
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
Dressing:
1 cup sweet cream
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) vinegar, white or cider
Dash sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash, rinse and drain lettuce thoroughly, then tear coarsely. Turn into a bowl and toss with the green onions. For the dressing, in a small mixing bowl, combine the cream, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper; mix well to dissolve the sugar and salt, then pour over the salad and toss gently to mix. Serve immediately.
Kase knoephla (cheese buttons)
4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
4 eggs, separated
1 cup warm water
2 cups cottage cheese
1 medium onion, grated or chopped
Boiling salted water
Sour cream
Combine flour, 2 teaspoons of the salt, egg whites and water; knead on floured surface until smooth (dough should be medium-stiff). Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Knead until elastic. Divide in half. Roll halves into thin rectangles and cut into 3- or 4-inch squares. Mix together cottage cheese, egg yolks, onion and remaining salt; place small amount on each square; fold as for ravioli, sealing ends tightly. Cook in boiling salted water for 15 minutes or until done. Serve with sour cream.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s comics pages.
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