Dumplings Over a Potato and Mushroom Stew

Preparation

1. For the dough

   Step 1

   Mix the kefir with the yeast and sugar in a large bowl and whisk it well. Wait a little bit until yeasty froth appears, to make sure the yeast is alive. Then add the egg and 1 teaspoon salt and give it all a good whisk. Add 3¼ cups (390 g) of the flour and mix it first with a spoon. Then put your hand in. The dough might be very wet, so stretch out and then slap the dough against the sides of the bowl for as long as your patience and muscle power allow you. If you feel like the dough is waaaay too wet, add the extra ½ cup (60 g) of flour (but keep in mind: the wetter the dough, the lighter the dumplings).

   Step 2

   Wet your hands, fold the dough into a rough ball, and put into a large oiled bowl to rise (I just use the bowl I mixed everything in to save on dish-washing). Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a tea towel and leave somewhere warm to rise. It should double in size, and, depending on the temperature in your kitchen, can take up to 1–2 hours. Or you can leave it in the fridge overnight.

   Step 3

   Have 1–2 large and lightly oiled trays ready, to place your dumplings on for proofing after you have cut them. When the dough is proudly puffed up, flour a work surface well and gently help it out of the bowl. It will be very soft and will deflate as it hits the surface. Gently give it a knead. Enjoy this brief process and be tender. Then, making sure the surface really is well floured, so the dough doesn’t stick, roll it into a 12 in (30 cm) sheet. Now drizzle the clarified or regular butter all over it, and, using the palm of your hand, spread it all over the dough. Roll it all up into a sausage shape, evening it up along its length if needed, and cut across into 16–18 pieces. They will look similar to cinnamon rolls. Put them snail side up and an inch or so apart from each other on the oiled trays and loosely cover with tea towels. (Be careful with the choice of towels, as they can get stuck to the tops if the dough is quite moist.) Leave to proof for 30 minutes.

   Step 4

   Meanwhile, for the stew, pour the hot stock or water over the dried mushrooms in a bowl and soak them for at least 30 minutes.

2. For the stew

   Step 5

   Fish the mushrooms out of their soaking liquid and put them into another bowl. Then strain the liquid through cheesecloth into the bowl containing the mushrooms, to make sure no grit passes through.

   Step 6

   Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and the pat of butter in a large pot for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. If the onions start catching a little, just add a splash of the mushroom liquid to deglaze the base of the pot. Cook the onions for as long as you have the patience or time: another 15 minutes over low-ish heat is great, but if the onions look softened and have taken a little bit of color, it will be good enough.

   Step 7

   Take the onions out and put them into a bowl. Quarter or halve the cremini mushrooms, depending on size. Add another 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot along with the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Fry over medium-high heat until they are brown all over, then add them to the onions.

   Step 8

   Heat another 1 tablespoon of oil in the pot and put in the potatoes. Cook them on each side until lightly browned. Now return the mushrooms and onions to the pot, add the garlic and cook for a minute or so. Pour in the mushroom stock, the rehydrated mushrooms, another pinch of salt, and a healthy grinding of black or white pepper, and give it a gentle stir. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

   Step 9

   Now, be ready! Have your stew bubbling away over medium-high heat. If your dumplings feel quite soft and a little sticky, use an oiled spatula or dough scraper to scoop them off the tray. Otherwise, pick them up with your hand. Add the dumplings pretty/curled side up on top; they will puff up, so leave at least ½ in (1 cm) between each. Cover with a lid immediately after putting the last dumpling in. Cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. The dumplings will puff up and be soaked with delicious stew juices at the bottom and fluffy on top.