From the Slovak Kitchen: Hearty Garlic & Potato Dumplings (Cesnakové Strapačky)

Details
Pillow potato dumplings meet a punch of garlic and crispy bacon.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prepare the Dumpling Dough
Peel the potatoes and grate them on the finest side of a box grater into a large bowl. Drain any excess liquid that accumulates. To the grated potatoes, add the all-purpose flour, egg, half of the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky dough forms. The dough should be thick enough to hold its shape; if it seems too wet, add a little more flour one tablespoon at a time.
Cook the Dumplings
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. You can form the dumplings in one of two ways: either by using a spaetzle maker (haluškovač) placed over the pot, pushing the dough through the holes, or by placing the dough on a small cutting board and using a knife to cut small pieces directly into the boiling water. Once the dumplings float to the surface, cook them for another 2-3 minutes until they are cooked through.
Fry the Bacon & Garlic
While the dumplings are cooking, place the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy and has rendered its fat. In the last minute of cooking, add the remaining minced garlic to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
Combine and Serve
Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked dumplings from the pot and transfer them directly into the skillet with the crispy bacon and garlic. Add the optional lard or butter for extra flavor. Toss everything together gently to coat the dumplings in the delicious bacon fat and garlic. Serve immediately, piping hot.
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