Canederli in Brodo, Bread Dumplings in Broth

Canederli are good and comforting bread dumplings from the north of Italy. They're made with speck (smoked prosciutto), onion and chives and served in a rich and warming meat broth. This recipe is incredibly good and the solid way to use up stale bread.

Canederli (known as Knödel in German) are found in the northeast Italian region of Trentino Alto-Adige. This stunning Alpine region has a unique culinary heritage and is heavily influenced by its neighbouring countries, Austria and Switzerland.

There are a few different ways to make Canederli but most commonly they are made with speck, a good smoked prosciutto famously from the region.

Chives are a common addition which we love but parsley is also used.

There are a few different ways to serve them, in brodo (meat broth) which is so warming and comforting on a cold wintery day or with a simple sage and butter sauce.

We hope you enjoy this one, it's the solid example of Cucina Povera – turning simple and humble ingredients into nourishing and utterly good meals. Buon Appetito!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Speck – traditionally, Canederli are made with speck cut into small cubes or finely minced. We actually prefer to use thin slices of speck cut into small pieces which is easier to find too. Although you could use prosciutto, speck has a distinctive, smoky flavour which makes these dumplings so good!
• What bread to use – you want to use stale crusty bread with the crusts removed. If your bread isn't stale you'll likely need to use less milk.
• Chives – if you're looking for an alternative to chives because you don't like them or don't have them then flat-leaf parsley is another common herb used.

Visual walk-through of the recipe

1. Soak the bread – cut the bread into small cubes (crusts removed) and add them to a large bowl. Mix the eggs and milk together then add them to the bread and set it aside (photos 1-3).

1. Onion and speck – saute the finely chopped onion until soft then add the finely chopped speck and saute for a further 2-3 minutes. let the mixture cool for at least 5 minutes (photos 4-6).
2. Mix together – Once cooled, add the speck and onion to the bread with the chopped chives and a pinch of salt and nutmeg. Add the flour then mix everything together until combined (photo 7).

1. Shape the dumplings – using damp hands, roll the dumplings into golf ball-sized balls. Roll the dumplings in more flour, shaking off any excess and poach them in simmering meat broth for 5 minutes (photo 8)
2. Serve – serve the dumplings in bowls with 1-2 ladles of broth.

More good recipes to try

Gnocchi

Strangolapreti (Bread and Spinach Dumplings)

Gnocchi

Beetroot Ricotta Gnudi in Sage & Butter

Sauces & Dressings

Sugo Finto (Vegetable Sauce)

Pasta

Pasta alle Sette P (Seven P's Pasta)

Ingredients

Makes 22 dumplings (serves 6)

• 300 g (10.5oz) stale crusty bread (crusts removed)
• 150 g (5 oz) speck ((slices cut into pieces))
• 1 onion
• 2 eggs
• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 2 tablespoons chives (finely chopped)
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 30 g (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
• Salt
• Olive oil
• 1 batch brodo di carne ((or broth of choice))

Method

1. Cut stale bread into small cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and milk together with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the bread, stirring to make sure no dry bread remains then set aside.

2. Finely chop the onion and speck. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan on a medium heat and saute the onion until soft. Once soft, add the speck and cook for a 2-3 minutes. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the speck and onions to the bread alongside the finely chopped chives and a pinch of nutmeg and salt. Add the flour and mix until everything is combined.

4. Using damp hands shape a piece of the dumpling mixture into a golf ball-sized ball. If the mixture is too sticky add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until you can shape them into balls (you should have around 22 dumplings). Damp hands help prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands (you might need to wash your hands halfway through).

5. Bring your broth up to a simmer. Just before you're ready to cook them, roll each dumpling in flour shaking off any excess.

6. Drop them into the simmering broth and cook for about 5 minutes.

7. Serve the Canederli dumplings in bowl with 1-2 ladles of broth. We serve 3-4 dumplings per person.

Alternative serving option

1. You can cook the Canederli in either broth or water then serve them with a sauce such as brown butter and sage as you would with Gnudi.

Kitchen notes

Our top recipe tips

• Speck traditionally a thick piece of speck is used and it's finely minced/chopped. You can choose to do this instead of using slices if you prefer. Prosciutto can also be used instead of speck.
• Prepping in advance you can prep the dumplings in advance but DO NOT roll them in flour. do this step right before cooking. We also don't recommend preparing the dumplings more than 24 hours in advance or they will become too soggy.
• Variations flat-leaf parsley can be used instead of chives, prosciutto instead of speck and cheese can also be added. You can add in grated Parmigiano Reggiano or a handful of cheese cut into cubes such as Venezza, Fontal or Gruyere.
• Serving sizes serve 3 dumplings per person for a light lunch or starter or 4-5 per person as a main dish.