With plums, cheese, apricots…Where do the knedle come from, the kind only grandma knows how to make!?

Traditional cuisine in the Adria region has been influenced by many powerful forces throughout history. Some came from Central Europe, some from Turkiye and the Middle East. All in all, today the locals can enjoy various recipes of some of the tastiest dishes in the world. It is no surprise to hear such feedback from tourists as well.

One dish in particular made us do a little research since there are millions of recipes on the internet. Some make them sweet, some salty. Some eat them alone, and some as a side dish.

As you must have noticed from the cover photo … in this article we will talk about knedle (dumplings).

So why knedle?

Knedle, Photo: Rita, Pixabay

Knedle, also known as knedle / okruglice in Croatia or cmoki in Slovenia, are an integral part of local cuisine. It was a dish that was cheap to make, easily prepared, and adapted to either be a part of a bigger meal or a dessert. That’s why we have so many variations today.

Originally, knedle were brought to Croatia and Slovenia by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which also makes it a popular dish in Central and Eastern Europe.

Knedle with goulash, Pixabay

Dumplings are traditionally made from dough consisting of mashed potatoes, eggs, and flour. When the dough is neither too soft nor too hard, fill the flat circle with filling as desired, and then turn it into a ball. Once that’s done, all you have to do is boil them in water until they float.

The most traditional filling in the Adria region is plum filling or whole pitted plums, but you can also fill them with cheese, apricots, strawberries… whatever you want. Some just shape the dough and cook it empty to eat with stew, some dip it in breadcrumbs, sprinkle with poppy seeds, and some let it “swim” in a cream sauce.

Plum Knedle, Photo: Gavran333 Dreamstime

If you feel like eating knedle after all these photos, then definitely look for the recipe in your grandmother’s cookbook or choose the first one you find online. When you serve it, send us a photo! We will be happy to share it!

But don’t worry, if you’re not that skilled in the kitchen, you can find them ready-made in stores or visit one of the many knedle/cmoki shops in cities like Zagreb and Ljubljana.