Ovocne knedliky
Photo: Matěj Baťha · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Fruit dumplings are the canonical Bohemian summer dessert, made with whatever orchard fruit is in season. The dough recipe varies: potato in the south, quark or curd cheese in Moravia. The plum version (svestkove knedliky) hits Prague pivnice menus from August through October, when Bohemian plums ripen. U Modre Kachnicky and the Lokal kitchens keep them on a seasonal rotation. Czech families eat them as a main course, not a dessert, with a heavy dusting of grated tvaroh (curd cheese), browned butter and icing sugar.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 40 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • For the potato dough: 500g floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 1 large egg
  • 200g plain flour (plus more if needed)
  • 50g semolina (krupice)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 12 small ripe but firm plums (Czech svestky), or 12 fresh apricots (halved and pitted; for plums leave whole and pit through the side)
  • 12 sugar cubes (to drop into the cavity of each fruit)
  • To serve: 100g unsalted butter (browned over low heat until nutty)
  • 100g fresh tvaroh or fine-grated curd cheese (substitute with crumbled ricotta or coarse-grated paneer)
  • 50g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Boil the potatoes in salted water 18 to 20 minutes until very tender; drain and steam-dry in the dry pan for 60 seconds. Press through a potato ricer onto a clean bench while still warm.
  2. Let the riced potato cool to lukewarm, then heap it into a mound, make a well, add the egg, flour, semolina and salt. Work into a soft dough, kneading just enough to bring together; do not over-knead or it turns gluey.
  3. Place a sugar cube inside each pitted plum (close the fruit around it).
  4. Divide the dough into 12 portions, flatten each into a 10cm disc on a floured bench, lay a stuffed plum in the centre, and gather the dough up around the fruit, pinching the seam closed completely. Roll between cupped palms into a smooth ball.
  5. Bring a wide pot of lightly salted water to a steady simmer (not a rolling boil; that bursts the seams). Drop in the dumplings, cook for 8 to 10 minutes; they will float when ready.
  6. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, and prick each with a wooden skewer twice to release steam.
  7. Plate three dumplings per portion. Drizzle generously with browned butter, top with a heavy mound of grated tvaroh, then a snowfall of icing sugar mixed with cinnamon. Serve immediately while still warm.

Tip from the editors. Push the potato through a ricer while still hot for the right structure; mashing with a masher works the gluten in the flour too hard later. Underripe fruit holds its shape better than soft ripe fruit, and tarter fruit balances the sweet butter-and-sugar dressing.

Where to eat ovocne knedliky

Ovocne knedliky in Prague

U Modre Kachnicky ★ 4.2

€€ Czech TraditionalMala Strana

U Modre Kachnicky in Mala Strana cooks the old Czech repertoire, roast duck and venison, in two Baroque-era dining rooms a five-minute walk from Charles.

OrderThe duck with bread dumplings and red cabbage.

Lokal Dlouhaaa ★ 4.4

€€ CzechStare MestoUntil 00:00 Mon-Wed, 01:00 Thu-Sat, 22:00 Sun

Lokal Dlouhaaa stays open to 01:00 weekend nights, pouring tank Pilsner and serving classic Czech pub food until last orders. Located in Stare Mesto.

TryTank Pilsner, Czech pub menu

TipLast food order is 30 minutes before close; the smazeny syr is the late dish.

Lokal Hamburk ★ 4.3

€€€ Cocktail barCzech beer hallKarlin

Lokal Hamburk in Karlin is the river-harbour-themed Ambiente Lokal, the most neighbourhood-feeling of the chain. Order the tank pilsner urquell.

DrinkTank Pilsner Urquell

FoodCzech pub menu

TipThe terrace seats in summer go fast; book ahead Friday onward.

All Prague signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want ovocne knedliky covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →