Slovak Halusky Dumplings

Slovak halušky (hah-loosh-kee) are traditionally boiled dumplings made with a grated raw potato dough. Unlike other kinds of larger dumplings with wrappings encasing a stuffing, these are closer to German spätzle or Polish kartoflane kluski in the way they're made and serve the same purpose as a starchy dish like pasta or rice. Italian gnocchi could be compared to halusky, even if gnocchi comes from a dense pliable dough and halusky from a liquid batter, but both are cooked in boiling water for just a few minutes.

These Eastern European dumplings can be eaten as a side dish or main course and have many variations. Most basic batters are a combination of flour, salt, and potatoes; some cooks use a combination of grated raw potatoes and grated cooked potatoes in the dough, while others add diced cooked potato to the boiled dumplings. Using eggs in the batter is also an option. Our halušky recipe is a classic preparation with crunchy bacon bits and chives, a wonderful and filling meal and one of Slovakia's national dishes.

There is no science to making halušky, but you need a quick hand when cutting the thick batter off of a cutting board, as the bits will go from the board straight into the boiling water. Most Slovak households have what looks like a strainer with big holes called a haluškar, from which the batter drips into the water in the desired shape and size.