Sweet ricotta dumplings with poppy seeds (canederli dolci di ricotta)

Combining Italian ricotta and alpine bread dumplings - these canederli (or knödel as they are called in German) from Italy’s northern Alto Adige region reflect the area’s melding of those two cuisines.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Dumplings

• 40g butter
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 250 g white bread slices, lightly toasted
• 300 g ricotta

Topping

• 100 g butter
• 40 g sugar
• 200 g poppy seeds
• 100 ml good quality floral honey

Chilling time: at least 30 minutes

Instructions

To make the dumplings, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, and stir through the lemon zest, icing sugar and honey until well combined. When the melted butter has cooled to room temperature, beat the flour, egg yolks and egg into the melted butter using a whisk, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.

Slice the crusts off the toasted bread, and chop the bread into small chunks, around the size of a thimble. Add the breadcrumbs to the mixture. Pass the ricotta through a sieve and add to the breadcrumb mixture to form the canederli dough, stirring well.

Place the dough in the refrigerator, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.

Once cooled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape small portions of the dough into balls, using the palms of your hands in a circular motion (like making meatballs).

Heat a large pot of water over a medium heat to a very gentle boil. There should be small bubbles rising to the surface of the water. Add a pinch of salt to the water. Place the dumplings into the water using a slotted spoon, adding them carefully. Reduce the heat to low. Leave them to simmer for 10 minutes uncovered. Be sure to keep an eye on the water – the canederli should be poached, not boiled, so take care that the water is never boiling vigorously.

To make the topping, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Take a flat plate and spread the poppy seeds out across it. Use the slotted spoon to dip the poached canederli into the melted butter, coating them evenly. Then, roll each of the canederli through the poppy seeds.

Drizzle with honey and serve immediately. 

Read more about the food of Italy's Alto Adige region in our Culinary Postcard.

Photography and styling by Alecia Wood.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.