Apricot Dumplings

Sweet dumplings such as these are popular right across central Eastern Europe. The heavy potato dough makes a delightful and unusual contrast to the juicy filling. With the same effect they are often made with plums, but my grandmother made them with apricots. These dumplings are a part of my earliest gourmet memories as the most scrumptious follow up to a rich vegetable soup on a meatless Friday. Serving is a matter of personal taste and each dumpling can be lightly dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon or topped with a dollop of sour cream, or both!

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

250 g starchy white potatoes, peeled

75 g unsalted butter

1 egg, beaten

130 g (1 generous cup) plain flour, sifted

16 small ripe apricots

3 tbsp granulated sugar

50 g white breadcrumbs

½ cup icing sugar mixed with ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes in a large pan until just cooked. Drain then mash them with 25 g (2 tbsp) of the butter. Leave to cool before adding the egg. Mix well then stir in the flour.
2. Knead the dough until soft, on a lightly floured surface. Cover with cling wrap and chill for 30 min.
3. Carefully ease the stone out of each apricot by slitting the apricots without cutting them in half. Once   the stone is removed push a ½ tsp of granulated sugar into centre of each apricot.
4. Divide the dough into 16 even balls. Roll out each dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a thin  round. Brush the edges of each dough circle with water, place the apricot in a centre and wrap the dough around. Seal the dough to enclose the fruit completely.
5. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, add the dumplings and simmer for 10-12 min. They will first sink to the bottom and then float up as they cook. When cooked remove them with a slotted spoon and drain well.
6. Meanwhile, fry the breadcrumbs in the remaining butter in a pan until golden brown. While hot quickly pour fried breadcrumbs over the dumplings. Carefully fold so they get evenly dredged in breadcrumbs all over and dust with mixture of icing sugar and cinnamon. Serve them hot with a generous dollop of sour cream on the side.