Tyrol Bacon Dumplings: Tiroler Speckknödel

"Tiroler Speckknödel" seemingly date back about 800 years! While the Tirol region* seems to be the place of origin of these splendid dumplings, "Speckknödel" are not uncommon in parts of Bavaria. There are some variations for Speckknödel; as for instance, some people fix them without onion, while others use some marjoram in the dough. Firm salami type sausages are commonly used as the sausage component for "Speckknödel," and while 6 to 7 cups of bread pieces may seem like a lot, it really isn't, as the pieces should be loosely put into a cup, not pressed in. The dumplings are often simply eaten in beef broth or with sauerkraut or with a salad. I get about 12 golf ball size dumplings from this recipe.

Ingredients:
6 to 7 loosely packed cups dried bread or rolls, cubed or crumbled into small pieces (about like large lima beans in size)
1/3 to 1/2 pound bacon, thick rind removed, and then chopped
1/4 pound firm salami-type sausage, chopped 
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour (perhaps another tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon parsley
salted water to cook
chopped chives for garnish

In a skillet over low heat, melt the butter and then add the finely chopped onion, cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Now add the bacon and sausage, increase the heat to medium, and cook for a few minutes, until the bacon has softened (do not let the bacon or sausage get crispy), remove from the heat and let the mixture cool down somewhat. In a bowl, add the bread pieces, bacon mixture, eggs, salt, parsley, 1 tablespoon of flour, and the milk. Mix everything together by hand for a minute or two, then cover the bowl and let it sit for about 15 minutes or so. In the meantime, bring a pot or pan of water seasoned with some salt to a boil. Wet your hands with some cold water, and roll some of the dough into golf ball sized dumplings. Add the dumplings to the boiling water and adjust the heat so that the water is simply simmering, not seething. Cook the dumplings for about 12 to 15 minutes, and just because they float, doesn't mean they are done. Keep turning the dumplings in the simmering water until the time has passed. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a plate covered with paper towels or napkins to let them drain or add them straightaway to bowls of hot beef broth and sprinkle with chopped chives.

* The Tirol region was a part of the Old German Empire (Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation), and came under the control of the Habsburg family, the head of which was the Archduke of Austria, and who was long elected as the German emperor. When this entity was disbanded (1806), Tirol was a part of the new Austrian Empire (announced in 1804), which later was reorganized and renamed the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867), or Austria-Hungary as a somewhat shorter form. After World War One, the southern districts of Tirol (called South Tirol, or Südtirol in German) were ceded to Italy for its entry into the war on the Allied side and this became a part of the Italian Alto Adige region. Some of the world's great skiers are from both the Austrian and Italian areas of Tirol.

WORD HISTORY:
Sinew-This word goes back to Indo European "sneh," which had the notion "to twist together, to connect together, to weave together." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "sinawo," which meant "sinew, tendon," which gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "seonu" and "sinu," depending upon dialect, both forms with the same meaning. This then became "sinue" (the ending 'e' pronounced eh/ah),  before the modern version. The other Germanic languages have: German "Sehne" (sinew, tendon), Low German Saxon "Sehn" (sinew, tendon), Dutch "zenuw" (nerve, sinew), West Frisian "sine" (sinew, tendon), Norwegian "sene" (tendon, sinew), Icelandic "sin" (tendon), Swedish "sena" (tendon, sinew), Danish "sene" (sinew, tendon).