Holzknechtnocken
As a trained bank clerk - now retired - Elisabeth Gadocha was chairwoman of the Goldhaubengruppe St. Wolfgang for 21 years and is now honorary chairwoman. As a native of St. Wolfgang, the preservation of customs and traditions has always been important to her. She embroidered her golden bonnet herself according to her own design in elaborate handwork.
Elisabeth Gadocha reveals her recipe for Holzknechtnocken, which are a very traditional dish in the Salzkammergut. In those days, the hard-working, hungry lumberjacks had few provisions at the hut in the mountains. After work, they would prepare the Holzknechtnocken by the warm fire in the oven to fortify themselves.
Ingredients
- 1 kg coarse wheat flour
- 1 tumbler of salt
- about 800 ml boiling water
- plenty of clarified butter for frying
- Sauerkraut with bacon and onions to serve
- steamed chopped apples "Öpfimandl" to serve
Preparation
Mix the wheat flour with the salt and scald with boiling water, stirring everything together quickly. Knead the hot flour mixture into a dough. Then form round dumplings about 5 cm in size. Place the dumplings in plenty of boiling water and cook until they float to the top. Scoop out the dumplings and set aside.
Heat plenty of clarified butter in a tall iron pan (alternatively a large tall pan) until just before the smoke point. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slide the dumplings into the hot lard. Adjust the dumplings to form a tight "wreath" so that the dumplings stick together slightly. Fry the "Holzknechtnocken" until golden brown, drain briefly and separate.
Serve the "Hoizknechtnocka" traditionally with bacon sauerkraut and onions and either with or without "Öpfimandl". Best enjoyed with your fingers.
Tip:
The dumplings should be fried floating in plenty of clarified butter, so there is no need to turn them. Otherwise, carefully turn the whole "Kranzl" with two slotted spoons as soon as the underside is golden brown.