Crispy Potato Dumplings with Smoked Ayrshire Bacon

METHOD

1. Bake the potatoes in their jackets in a hot oven until tender (we'd recommend in a 200°C pre-heated oven for 40-50 minutes with a little olive oil and sea salt). Once the potatoes have baked & cooled, cut in half, scoop out the flesh and pass through a sieve. Weigh out 500g.

2. Next, gently mix the flour, polenta and parmesan with the warm potato mash, season with salt & pepper and grated nutmeg. Mix the egg and yolk together, add the potato and gently kneed together being careful not to over mix.

3. Lightly dust the table with flour, divide the dumpling mix into two.

4. Using the palms of your hands roll each piece into a rope 1 inch thick, then cut each rope into two-inch pieces. Roll each piece into a neat ball and shape using the prongs of the fork into grooved cylinders.

5. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the dumplings, bring the water back to the boil, as the dumplings cook, they will float to the surface. Scoop them out using a slotted spoon and drain on a clean kitchen towel.

6. Heat a frying pan with olive oil, add the chopped bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly crisp.

7. Add the cooked dumplings to the bacon pan and raise the heat slightly. Add the butter and cook until the dumplings are golden brown and crispy.

8. Finally add the sliced mushrooms and continue to cook for another two minutes. Add the cream, bring to a simmer and season.

9. Tip out onto a serving plates and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Recipe Photography by Carlo Paloni 

What you will need