Kniddelen are what Luxembourg's farmhouses made when the larder held flour, eggs, milk and a slab of smoked bacon, which is to say most of the time. A thick batter is dropped from a spoon into simmering salted water, the dumplings rise when they are done, and they go straight into a pan of crisp bacon. Many families add a little curd cheese to the batter for tenderness, a splash of cream at the end, and a spoonful of apple compote beside the plate, a sweet and smoky pairing the country takes entirely for granted.

They were once called a poor man's meal, and they remain gloriously unpretentious: a winter supper, a reward after a long walk in the Ardennes cold, the plate grandparents make when the grandchildren visit. The Luxembourg Grand Prix of 1997 and 1998 was run in the Eifel hills at the end of September, when the air already has an edge to it, and a bowl of Kniddelen is the most sensible answer to that edge anyone has found.

Apple compote

Ingredients

• 4 medium apples
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 small pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

1. Put the apple chunks, water and sugar in the small saucepan, cover with the lid and set over medium low heat. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so nothing catches on the bottom.
2. Take the pan off the heat and mash the apples roughly with the back of a fork, leaving a few soft chunks for texture. Stir in the lemon juice and the cinnamon if using, taste, and add a little more sugar only if it tastes sharp. Leave it to cool to warm.

The dumplings

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups (350 g) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup (150 g) quark
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk

Method

1. Whisk the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and the nutmeg together in the large bowl. In a jug or second bowl, whisk the eggs, quark and milk until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the flour and beat with the wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, until there are no dry patches and the batter starts to look glossy and pull away from the sides in sticky ropes.
2. Cover the bowl and leave the batter for 15 minutes. Meanwhile fill the large pot about two thirds full of water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down until it simmers gently.
3. Dip one tablespoon in the mug of hot water, scoop up a heaped spoonful of batter and use the second spoon to push it off into the simmering water, holding the spoons close to the surface so it does not splash. Dip the spoons in the hot water before each dumpling so the batter slides off. Work quickly and make about half the batter, roughly 15 dumplings, so they are not crowded.
4. Give the pot a gentle stir with the slotted spoon so nothing sticks to the bottom. Simmer until the dumplings float to the top, about 4 to 5 minutes, then let them cook for 2 minutes more. Lift one out and cut it in half to check.
5. Lift the dumplings out with the slotted spoon into the colander and let them drain while you cook the second batch the same way.

Bacon, cream and finishing

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225 g) smoked slab bacon
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream
• to taste freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or flat leaf parsley

Method

1. While the first batch of dumplings is poaching, put the bacon cubes in the cold frying pan and set it over medium heat. Let the fat melt out slowly and stir every minute or so for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the butter to the bacon, then tip in all the drained dumplings. Turn them gently with a spatula for 3 to 4 minutes so they pick up the fat and catch a little color in places.
3. Pour in the cream and let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes, turning the dumplings so they are coated. Season with black pepper; the bacon usually brings enough salt, so taste before adding any. Scatter over the chives or parsley.

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