​Button up!

Along with the swift fall breeze, falling leaves and an imminent chill in the air, there’s nothing more comforting than to hear the words, “soup’s on.” One of my personal favorites is also a regional gem. Knoephla soup is a German Russian tradition. “Knoeph” translates to buttons or knobs and is a whimsical reference to the stiff dumplings–which are the centerpiece of the soup. It’s cream-based and is relatively quick, cheap, and easy to make.

Soup Ingredients:

1 large onion chopped

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 carrots, grated

½ tsp minced garlic

Add a dash of dill and parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1 stick of butter cut into cubes

8 tsp bouillon–or 4 bouillon cubes (beef, chicken, or vegetable)

6 cups of water

2 cups milk

Bring water to a boil add all of the ingredients–save milk for last to avoid scalding.

Knoephla Ingredients:

1 beaten egg

1 cup of flour

6 tbsp milk–more or less consistency–should be not too thick, not too thin

A pinch of dried parsley

Mix all of the ingredients together. Some people like a stiffer dough so they can roll it into a rope and then cut it into small pieces–just add more flour or more milk. The worst thing that can happen is that you end up with more knoeph. I prefer to have a softer dough and spoon the dough into the gently boiling broth– half a teaspoon at a time.

Let boil 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and knoeph are cooked through. Garnish with dried parsley and serve with a good crusty bread if you so desire.