Potato Dumplings

If this is your first time to our blog, we are more than just recipes! Each of the recipes on our blog is a recreation from a cookbook published in 1951 in Santa Maria, California. We are not only recreating these recipes, but we are also revisiting the lives of each contributor and sharing their bios with you. You can read more about this project on our About page.

Bio: Beatrice Laughlin

Jump to Recipe

Beatrice Laughlin was actually one of the first women that I researched for Generations at the Table. As I began to piece together the broad details of her life, I remember being struck by how resilient she must have been. Widowed in the 1940s when her children were very young, Beatrice no doubt had to adapt quickly and become self-sufficient. This wouldn't be an easy task in today's world, and I can only imagine how much more difficult this would have been at a time when it was more than common and maybe even expected for women to be at home. This, I'm sure, was an unexpected turn for her, but she incredibly seems to have managed in a way that allowed her to divide her time between her home and children while also supporting her community in meaningful ways.

When I first started working on Beatrice's recipe for Potato Dumplings, it did not even occur to me that "dry potatoes" meant boxed potatoes. I first tried this recipe with leftover mashed potatoes, which kind of worked but mostly left me with chunky potato water. Once I realized that this was probably meant for boxed potatoes, it made much more sense. Using boxed mashed potatoes was a first for me, but it was quickly obvious that it was not only much easier to form into balls, but that this would actually make a dumpling-like final product as the potato flakes absorbed the water. While not all of my dumplings held up perfectly in the boiling water, I was able to get a successful portion out of the water and onto my plate.

This is a fairly quick and easy recipe to make. While no doubt it would be faster and easier to just make the mashed potatoes according to box directions if you're in a pinch for time, the few extra minutes it takes to make a side that holds a little more interest and a little more flavor is absolutely worth it. Fluffy yet also dense like a flour dumpling, these have a gentle flavor that you would expect out of mashed potatoes with a little extra oomph. Beatrice suggested pairing this with pot roast and brown gravy, which this is really the perfect side for.

You can find the recipe for Potato Dumplings below. Let us know what you think...

---

Bio: Beatrice Laughlin

Potato Dumplings

Servings: 3-4 dumplings

Prep Time: 10-15 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Total Time: 10-25 min

Ingredients:

• 1 cup boxed mashed potatoes

• 1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs

• 1 tsp chopped onion sautéed in butter

• 1 tsp parsley

• 1 egg

• sprinkle of nutmeg

• salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and shape in 1 to 1.5 inch balls.

2. Fill a medium saucepan 1/2 to 2/3 full with water. Generously salt and bring to boil.

3. Using slotted spoon, gently drop each ball into boiling water.

4. Continue to boil for 7-10 minutes. The balls should expand into dumplings during this time.

Notes:

1. Beatrice suggested that these dumplings should be served with pot roast and brown gravy.

2. I would say that this recipe makes enough dumplings for one to one and a half people. If you decide to make this for more than that, I would double or triple the recipe.