Croatian Plum Dumplings Recipe - Knedle s Sljivama

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/25/22
Pan de Jamón (Venezuelan Ham and Olive Bread)

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 80 mins
Total: 110 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 16 dumplings

Croatian plum dumplings—knedle s sljivama—are made with mashed potato dough and can be eaten as a dessert when sprinkled with sugar, as a meatless main course, or as a starch accompanying a meat dish. Plum dumplings are common throughout Eastern Europe among Poles, Hungarians, Romanians and wherever plums are plentiful. The small damson plum is preferable, but Italian prune plums will work fine.

Ingredients

  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed, cooled

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 16 damson plums, pitted

  • 16 sugar cubes

  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

  • Confectioners' sugar, for optional garnish

  • Ground cinnamon, for optional garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Croatian Plum Dumplings Recipe - Knedle s Sljivama ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, and salt.

    combine potatoes, eggs, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. When well combined, add flour and mix until soft dough forms.

    potato dough mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Place a sugar cube in the center of each pitted plum. Place a large pot of salted water on and bring to a boil.

    plum with sugar cubes on a plate

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Using lightly floured hands, take a portion of dough and pat it flat in your hand. Place a plum in the center and bring sides of dough up over plum, enclosing it completely. Moisten edges if necessary to seal.

    dough wrapped around plum

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Carefully drop into boiling water. Repeat until all plums are in the water. Cook 20 minutes.

    dumplings boiling in a pot

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet, add breadcrumbs and brown.

    breadcrumbs and butter in a pan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Using a slotted spoon, remove dumplings to a colander.

    dumplings in a colander

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  9. Transfer to a serving platter and pour buttered crumbs over dumplings. Dust with granulated or confectioners' sugar and cinnamon, if desired.

    Croatian Plum Dumplings Recipe - Knedle s Sljivama on a platter

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
222 Calories
3g Fat
48g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 222
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 94mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 78mg 392%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 614mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)