Shlishkes

Shlishkes

Alternative names	Krumplinudli, nudli
Type	Dumpling
Place of origin	Originally Hungarian Jewish community, today mainly the United States, also Israel
Created by	Ashkenazi Jews
Main ingredients	Mashed potatoes, eggs, flour, water, streusel

Shlishkes (the plural form is standard) is a potato-based small dumpling of Hungarian Jewish origin, and are a popular part of the Jewish cuisine of the Ashkenazi community. They can be sweet or savory.

Overview

It is formed from a soft dough of cooked mashed potatoes, egg, flour and water; the dumplings are boiled and rolled in sugar and hot buttered caramelized breadcrumbs (streusel), ^[1] or in browned breadcrumbs as a savory preparation. The dough is first rolled into a rope, and then cut into pieces, which are then twisted, before boiling. ^[2] It can also be filled with prune lekvar ^[1] or with a sweet poppy seed filling; this version is commonly eaten during Hanukkah, alongside latkes and sufganiyot. ^[3]

The dish is a version of Kartoffelklösse, and is comparable to gnocchi, but is firmer and lacks ridges. There is a baked or pan-fried variant of it called bilkas or bilkhalekh. It can include sauteed onions, and during Passover, matzah cake meal is used instead of flour. ^[4]

History

Shlishkes began as a way for using remaining potato dough from making gombóc. It became a Friday-night treat amongst some Hungarians during the 1800s, and during the 1930s, it became popular amongst eastern European Jews in Brooklyn and Queens as a side dish on Friday nights and during holidays; the dish can still be found in Kosher stores and at some weddings and bar mitzvahs in New York today. ^[4]

Etymology

The name "shlishkes" comes from the German word schulterstuck, which means "twisted knot", because the dumplings are twisted while being made. ^[2]

See also

• Gnocchi
• Matzo ball
• Kreplach

References

1. Nathan, Joan (13 December 2006). "From Hungary, for Hanukkah, From Long Ago". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 29 November 2013.
2. "Shlishke, old and with twist". South Florida Sun-Sentinel . 18 January 2007. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
3. Spencer, Reid. Hanukkah Traditions: Celebrating Across Cultures. Nicolas Horne. pp. 23–24. Retrieved 23 April 2025– via Google Books.
4. Marks, Gil (17 November 2010) [Originally published 10 September 2010]. Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Sec. Shlishkes. ISBN   9780544186316 . Retrieved 23 April 2025– via Google Books.