Kopytkas are small potato dumplings commonly found in Belarusian and Polish cuisine. They are boiled and often fried in butter or served with various toppings, such as fried breadcrumbs, onions, bacon, or mushroom gravy. The name comes from the Polish word for “little hooves” due to their shape. They are made by boiling potatoes, mashing them, and mixing them with flour, egg, and salt to make a dough, which is then rolled out and cut into small, hoof-shaped pieces before boiling.
Kopytkas are small potato dumplings, somewhat similar to dumplings, commonly found in Belarusian and Polish cuisine. They are usually made using a simple dough that consists mostly of potatoes and are usually not filled or filled with other substances. These dumplings are boiled in water to cook them and then often lightly fried in butter, similar to pierogi, or served with a variety of toppings. Kopytkas are commonly served with toppings of fried breadcrumbs, onions cooked and softened in butter, a combination of sautéed onions and bacon, or even mushroom gravy.
The name kopytka comes from the Polish word for “little hooves” and is based on the similarity of the dumplings to the hooves of a small animal. They can also be called kapytki, which is the Belarusian word with the same meaning. Kopytkas are typically made by first boiling potatoes in water until cooked through and soft. The potatoes are then mashed until soft and lump-free, or pressed through a ricer to ensure a light, fluffy texture to the potatoes in preparation for using them to make dough.
These prepared potatoes are then combined with flour, egg and salt and mixed thoroughly to make a dough. The kopytka dough is then rolled out onto a surface and separated into smaller flat pieces. Each piece is then rolled into a long, snake-like coil which is then used to make the individual dumplings. This long roll of dough is cut into pieces, at a diagonal angle, to create gnocchi with a shape resembling a small hoof.
The kopytkas are then typically placed in boiling water until floating and then allowed to boil for several minutes once floating. They can then be removed from the water and set aside until ready to serve. They can be served plain, with a topping or lightly fried in a small amount of oil or butter until golden brown.
When served without frying, kopytkas are typically served with a number of different toppings. Among the most popular are breadcrumbs cooked lightly in butter or onions chopped and sauteed in butter, often served with diced, crispy bacon. Some recipes may also call for brown mushroom gravy to be poured over the dumplings.
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