German Potato Dumplings Thuringia-style ('Thüringer Kartoffelklöse')

Cook the potatoes:

Take one-third of the potatoes (about 1.2-1.4 pounds/ 500-600 g) and place them in a large pot. Cover with cold water and season liberally with salt. Bring the water up to a boil then cover the pot and cook the potatoes skin-on for about 20 minutes or until tender. The potatoes are done once they easily slide off when pierced with a sharp paring knife. Drain the potatoes and peel using a sharp paring knife while still hot. Press the warm potatoes through your potato ricer or pass them through a tamis to get a smooth puree.

Prepare the croutons:

It's best to prepare the croutons while the potatoes are cooking. Heat the butter in a small nonstick pan over medium heat then add the bread or toast cubes and saute for 4-5 minutes until crispy on all sides and slightly charred. Set aside.

Prepare the potato dough:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then turn down the heat to keep it just below a light simmer.

Peel your leftover raw potatoes and grate them super fine. It's best to use your food processor for this. Wrap the grated potatoes in a large kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. Reserve the liquid in a large mixing bowl. Let the liquid sit for about 5 minutes. The starch from the potato will set at the bottom of your bowl. Carefully drain the potato liquid while reserving the white potato starch at the bottom. Add the grated potatoes and your potato puree into the mixing bowl. Add the extra potato starch and mix everything well. Season the dumpling dough to taste with salt.

Form and poach the dumplings:

The size of the dumplings is up to your preference. Take some of your potato dough and flatten it out in your hands. Place a crouton in the center and wrap the dough around it forming it into a ball-shape. Make sure all the edges are sealed tightly and that the surface is completely smooth so that you won't end up with watery dumplings. Drop the dumplings into your hot water that should be just below a light simmer. They will first sink to the bottom and then slowly float up over time. Let the dumplings poach for about 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, take them out of the water and place them on a paper towel to drain any excess moisture. Let the potatoes sit for 3-4 minutes before serving so that they have the chance to firm up a little. Serve them with anything saucy.