Oktoberfest!

A couple weeks ago, Jimmy and I had a little mini Oktoberfest at home. I made one of my favorite things that I learned how to make when I lived in Austria, which I used to make all the time but hadn't made in way too long... Käse Knödel! Knödel are traditional dumplings found in German and Austrian food; there are many different kinds: Käse Knödel, made with cheese; Speck Knödel, made with Tyrolian cured ham, Spinach Knödel, Liver Knödel, and more. Sometimes they are served in a soup, sometimes with meats and gravies. I love them so much! But my favorites are definitely the cheesy ones. We had them with our favorite tiny bratwursts from TJ's, and some yummy sauteed kale, and a good German beer.

Knödel are easy to make, and a good thing to do when you have bread that is a couple days old and has dried out (or you can just toast some in the oven). Cut the bread up into small cubes, then brown some butter and add that to the bread. Whisk 2 eggs with some milk and add to bread; add salt and pepper. Chop up a little onion and garlic, and some chopped fresh parsley, (and optional, a little bit of lemon zest and a pinch of nutmeg) add to mixture. Finally, add your cheese, chopped into small cubes, (cheese should be one that melts easily - I've always used Austrian or Swiss cheeses with a nice nutty flavor) and some flour to thicken it all up. The dough must be moist but not too sticky; adjust with flour and milk. Wet hands with cold water and roll the dough into round balls, about the size of a baseball. Drop into hot salted water (not boiling or they'll fall apart) and cook until done, 10-15 minutes.

I also made an Apple Strudel with chocolate sauce for dessert. It was tasty, but I don't think I'll make it again. It was pretty difficult to put together, and I'm not convinced it turned out right. However I did really enjoy making the filling:

Simmering star anise, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in apple juice, then adding the apples and dried cherries... the smell really got me in the mood for yummy fall desserts!!! More to come!