250gplain milk kefirBring to room temperature before using.
1egg
½tspbaking soda
½tspsaltFor the dough; use extra salt to season the cooking water.
400gall-purpose flourSift before using; have a little extra for dusting the work surface.
Butter coating
40gbutter
You will need
Mixing bowl
Kitchen scale and measuring spoons
Sieve
Whisk and mixing spoon
Knife and chopping board
Large saucepan and slotted spoon
Instructions
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the kefir, egg, baking soda and salt for the dough.
Gradually mix in the sifted flour with a spoon, then knead by hand to form a soft, pliable dough. A little stickiness is fine; avoid adding extra flour to make it completely dry.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half and roll each half into a rope about 2 cm thick.
Cut the ropes into pieces about 2 cm long; they puff up to roughly twice that size in the pot.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, adding salt to taste.
Gently add the dumplings to the boiling water, leaving room for them to expand; cook in batches if needed.
Stir gently once to loosen any dumplings stuck to the bottom.
After the dumplings float, cook for another 3–5 minutes. Cut one open to check that the centre is cooked through, with no sticky raw dough.
Use a slotted spoon to lift out the dumplings, drain well and transfer to a serving bowl.
Toss each batch with a portion of the butter as soon as it is drained, then serve hot.
Storage and safety
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow container, within 2 hours of cooking. Keep at 4°C (40°F) or below and eat within 2–3 days. When reheating, use a food thermometer to check that the centre reaches 74°C (165°F).