Bohemia, where Powidltascherl come from, was once a kingdom, then part of the Austrian Empire, and now forms part of the Czech Republic together with Moravia and part of Silesia. Between around 1400 and 1918, this region developed a vibrant culture of its own and, above all, a very special cuisine which, unlike the administrative structures, has survived to this day. Jewish culture has also had a strong influence on the cuisine and keeps many dishes alive around the world as cultural heritage. Bohemian cuisine is characterised by simple ingredients that are turned into delicious dishes. Much of what makes Austrian and Bavarian cuisine famous, especially dumplings, is actually Bohemian.
Powidltascherl are usually served as dessert today, but in the past they were often eaten as a sweet lunch on Fridays, when meat was not eaten for religious reasons. The dish is actually a so-called ‘Mehlspeise’ – a vegetarian main course that used to be served after a clear broth with added ingredients, such as strips of pancake.
To make Powidltascherl, it is best to use original Powidl jam. This is made from plums that are cooked for a very long time – a laborious process because the jam burns easily due to its high fructose content and therefore has to be stirred constantly. We were lucky enough to get a jar in Vienna, where you can still find Powidl in every supermarket. Powidl has an intense plum flavour and an incomparably smooth and creamy consistency. If you can’t find original Powidl, the best thing to do is to replace the filling with the thickest possible plum jam or other dark jam or fruit purée.
Let’s get started! Boil 300 g of mealy potatoes with their skins on until soft, then peel them once they have cooled down slightly. Press the potatoes through a potato ricer or, if you don’t have one, mash them with a potato masher or fork until you have a smooth mash without any lumps. This is the main ingredient for the dough.
Now add flour, eggs and butter, as well as a pinch of salt. It is quite typical for Bohemian cuisine that the famous sweet dumplings do not contain sugar in the dough, so this is not a mistake in the recipe.
The dough must now be stirred well until it is soft and easy to shape, but no longer sticky. As the potatoes add varying amounts of moisture to the dough, you may need to use slightly more or less than the specified 100 g of flour to achieve this consistency.
The plum jam is now mixed with a little cinnamon and rum to form a thick paste.
Roll out the dough into a sheet about three millimetres thick. Flour the work surface generously so that nothing sticks. Now cut out circles about 5 to 6 cm in diameter using a round cutter. You can also use a drinking glass with a thin rim for this.
Place about a teaspoon of Powidl in the center of each dough circle – not too much, because the more filling, the more difficult it is to fold the dumplings.
The circles are now halved and pressed flat along the edges around the filling. This is best done by placing them on the palm of one hand and working with the other. Just be patient – you will quickly get the hang of it. Also, be careful not to trap any air bubbles in the dumplings.
As a garnish, we will now make roasted and caramelised breadcrumbs. Place breadcrumbs in a wide pan with sugar (brown sugar also works well) and slowly toast over medium heat.
Be careful – this requires a little patience, and it is a good idea to stir constantly with a wooden spoon, because at first there is hardly any visible effect, and then very suddenly the caramel can burn if you are not careful. The crumbs are ready when they have turned a golden brown colour.
The Powidltascherl are now poached in a pot that is not too small but wide (approx. 3 litres) in lightly salted water. This means that the water must not boil, but must remain just below boiling point. Only put as many Powidltascherl in the pot at a time as will fit without overlapping and sticking together. The raw dough pieces will initially sink to the bottom of the pot, but after approx. 6 minutes of cooking time they will rise to the top by themselves – this is a sign that they are done.
If they do not come away from the bottom, you can gently help them along with a wooden spoon after about 5 minutes. Remove the finished Powidltascherl from the pot with a slotted spoon or sieve and place them directly into the caramel crumbs, where they are turned while still moist so that the crumbs stick.
Serve the Powidltascherl warm, sprinkled with a little icing sugar, accompanied by fruit compote and/or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy.
And may the taste be with you.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
300 g mealy potatoes
100 g all-purpose flour
20 g soft butter
2 egg yolks
1 pinch of salt
150 g Powidl or other plum jam
1 tbsp rum
¼ tbsp of cinnamon
80 g breadcrumbs
60 g sugar
