Brza Domaća Supa sa Griz Knedlama
Брза домаћа супа са гриз кнедлама·(br-za do-ma-cha su-pa sa greez kned-la-ma)
Nedeljni Ručak: The Sacred Sunday Supper
In a Balkan household, Sunday lunch isn't a meal; it's an institution. That ritual always begins with a restorative bowl of domaća supa. While grandmothers might simmer an old hen for hours, this weeknight version captures the exact soul-warming depth using collagen-rich wings and a brilliantly simple trick: a deeply charred onion half. The real stars, however, are the griz knedle—little golden clouds of semolina. Use Cream of Wheat instead of American durum semolina, give the batter its mandatory rest, and suddenly you're tasting the exact aroma of the old country, right in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
- chicken wings or backs1 1/2 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- carrots2 large
- parsnip1 med
- celery root or celery stalks1 small
- fresh parsley stems1 small handful
- whole black peppercorns10
- cold water8 cup
- egg1 large
- neutral oil or melted pork lard1 tbsp
- Cream of Wheat or farina4 tbsp
- salt1 pinch
- Vegeta or kosher salt1 tbsp
- fresh parsley leaves1 small handful
Method
- 01
Char the onion halves until heavily blackened.
Place a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Press the cut sides of the unpeeled onion halves down and let them sit, undisturbed, for 4 to 5 minutes until heavily charred. This is the non-negotiable secret to a golden, deeply flavorful broth.
- 02
Build the broth from cold water.
In a large pot, combine the chicken, charred onion halves, carrots, parsnip, celery root, parsley stems, and peppercorns. Pour in the cold water. Bring to a gentle boil, skim off any gray foam that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer lazily for 45 minutes.
- 03
Mix the dumpling batter gently.
While the soup simmers, vigorously beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork until frothy. Beat in the oil and a pinch of salt. Gradually sprinkle in the Cream of Wheat one tablespoon at a time, folding gently with the fork to form a thick, soft paste. Do not overmix.
- 04
Let the dumpling batter rest.
Set the bowl aside on the counter for at least 15 to 20 minutes. This mandatory resting period allows the wheat granules to hydrate and swell. Skip this, and your dumplings will fall apart in the pot.
- 05
Strain the soup into a clean pot.
After 45 minutes, carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Discard the onion, parsley stems, and peppercorns. Slice the cooked carrots and parsnips and return them to the clear broth. Pick the meat off the wings and add it back if desired.
- 06
Form and simmer the dumplings.
Bring the strained broth to a very gentle simmer—a rolling boil will physically tear the delicate dumplings apart. Dip a small teaspoon into the hot broth, scoop a half-teaspoon of the rested batter, and drop it into the soup. Repeat until the batter is gone. Let them simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes until they float.
- 07
Execute the covered swell off the heat.
Turn off the heat completely, cover the pot tightly, and let it sit on the warm stove for 15 minutes. The trapped steam puffs the dumplings into perfect, cloud-like spheres. Stir in the Vegeta or salt to taste, ladle into shallow bowls, and garnish heavily with chopped parsley.
Notes
Use the right wheat.
Do not use American pasta semolina. It's milled from hard durum wheat and will yield dense, heavy dumplings. Cream of Wheat (farina) is the precise textural match for Balkan soft-wheat griz.
Respect the golden ratio.
For every large egg, you need exactly 4 to 5 level tablespoons of Cream of Wheat and 1 tablespoon of fat. The batter should look like a thick paste, not a stiff, rollable dough.
A note on fats.
While neutral oil works perfectly, using a tablespoon of rendered pork lard (svinjska mast) is the ultimate grandmother's secret for the most delicate, savory dumplings imaginable.
From Cook Balkan in America.