Potato and Quark Dumplings with Herbs (Austrian Carinthian Kärntner Kasnudeln)

These delicious cheese dumplings (similar to perogies) from Carinthia can be drizzled with butter or complimented with your own topping. The borders between today’s Austria and its southern neighbours are particularly dissipating in Carinthia. Instead of drizzling with melted butter, here the famous "Kasnudeln" are topped with melted "Sasaka". The word comes from the Slovenian and simply means finely-diced bacon, or a type of lardons. And as a wonderfully spicy spread for bread, it also figures prominently in Styrian cuisine - proving that the colourful culinary merry-go-round in the former territories of the Habsburg Monarchy is still vibrant today.

Pasta:
coarse grained flour (300 g)
1 egg
dash oil
pinch sea salt
water as required
egg white, for coating
brown butter, for pouring over (100-150 g)

Filling:
potatoes, peeled (150 g)
Carinthian Bröseltopfen (Quark cheese) (300 g)
2 Tbsp. onion, diced
1 egg
2 Tbsp. mixed herbs, finely chopped (Carinthian gingermint (Nudelminze) or other mint, chervil, parsley)
2-3 Tbsp. sour cream, as required
sea salt
butter, to sweat the onions

To Make the Dough:
Make a pile of flour on the work surface, create a hollow in the middle and beat the egg into it. Salt the mix slightly. Work in a little oil and sufficient water to produce a smooth, workable dough. Form into a ball, cover with film and leave to rest for 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the potatoes until soft, allow to cool briefly and press or sieve through a potato press. Sweat the onions in butter, add the herbs, season with salt and remove from the heat. Mix all the ingredients together and work into a malleable paste filling. If necessary, loosen the mix with soured cream.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface until it is the thickness of the back of a knife. Cut out disks of 10 cm diameter using an upturned glass or circular cutter. Shape small balls of the paste filling and place these on the dough circles, or use a spoon to apply the filling. Coat the edges of the dough with the beaten egg white, fold the dough together and press firmly. Press the edges between the fingers to form grooves and set down on a floured board.

Heat up a generous quantity of salted water in a large pan. Place the noodles into the water and, depending on size, leave to simmer gently for 10-12 minutes. Remove carefully and arrange on heated plates.

Cover generously with foamed brown butter and serve.

Serve with a fresh green salad.