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Dumplings

A historical recipe from Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915).

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A historical recipe

Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915). Project Gutenberg eBook #13545.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

Also printed in: The Century Cook Book, by Mary Ronald (1895).

United States

Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 4 ingredients

  1. 2 cups of flour
  2. 2/3 cup of milk
  3. 1/2 teaspoonful of salt
  4. 2 teaspoonfuls of butter

Possible health benefits

General information, not medical advice.

  1. Flour Source of phosphorus · Source of copper · Source of manganese · +1

    Source of phosphorus · 106 mg per 100 g, 15% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Phosphorus contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Phosphorus contributes to normal function of cell membranes.
    • Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth.

    Phosphorus is a mineral contained in each cell in our body. Most phosphorus is in the bones and teeth, and some is in your genes. NIH fact sheet

    Source of copper · 0.2 mg per 100 g, 17% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues.
    • Copper contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Copper contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body.
    • Copper contributes to normal skin pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Copper contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Copper is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses copper to carry out many important functions, including making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. NIH fact sheet

    Source of manganese · 0.6 mg per 100 g, 28% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    • Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Manganese contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Manganese is a mineral that your body needs to stay healthy. Your body uses manganese to make energy and protect your cells from damage. NIH fact sheet

    Source of selenium · 10 µg per 100 g, 19% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Selenium contributes to normal spermatogenesis.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails.
    3 more authorised claims
    • Selenium contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Selenium contributes to the normal thyroid function.
    • Selenium contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Your thyroid gland needs selenium to produce hormones and function properly. NIH fact sheet

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Flour, 00”, USDA FoodData Central.

Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. 2 cups of flour.
  2. 4 teaspoons (level) of baking powder.
  3. 2/3 cup of milk or a little more if needed.
  4. 1/2 teaspoonful of salt.
  5. 2 teaspoonfuls of butter.
  6. Mix and sift the dry ingredients.
  7. Work in butter with the tips of the fingers.
  8. Add milk gradually, roll out to thickness of half inch.
  9. Cut with biscuit cutter.
  10. Place in a buttered steamer over a kettle of hot water and cook from 12 to 15 minutes.
  11. If the dumplings are cooked with the stew enough liquid should be removed to allow of their being placed directly upon the meat and vegetables.
  12. Sometimes the dough is baked and served as biscuits, over which the stew is poured.
  13. If the stew is made with chicken or veal it is termed a fricassee.
  14. This recipe tells of such an economical way of extending the meat flavor that I think every young housewife should know it.
  15. Mary copied it from The Farmers' Bulletin, an article on the "Economical Use of Meat in the Home." The dumplings, as she prepared them from this recipe, were regular fluff balls, they were so light and flaky.
  16. I would add, the cook-pot should be closely covered while cooking or steaming these dumplings, and the cover should not be raised for the first ten minutes.
  17. A lesser quantity of baking powder might be used with equally good results, but these dumplings are certain to be light and flaky.
  18. A larger quantity of baking powder should be used when dough is steamed or boiled than if dough is baked, if one expects good results.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Steamer
  • Chef's knife
  • Sieve
  • Rolling pin
  • Kettle
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #13545 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13545). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.