Cheese Dumplings: What's The Best Filling?

There are many types of cheese that people put in dumplings, including cheddar, farmer's cheese, and soft cheese. Dumplings can be boiled, pan-fried, or deep-fried, and are often served as a snack, appetizer, or side dish. Some recipes call for the cheese to be mixed into the dumpling dough, while others use the cheese as a filling or topping. For example, crispy cheese dumplings are made by frying frozen dumplings and then covering them in melted cheese. On the other hand, farmer's cheese dumplings are made by simmering dumplings with cheese, eggs, and herbs in a gravy or stew.

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Crispy cheese dumplings

If you're looking for a delicious and easy meal, look no further than crispy cheese dumplings. This comforting dish can be made in just 10 minutes and is the perfect upgrade to your regular dumplings. The dumplings are cooked in a pan with cheese, giving them a crispy, crunchy texture and a salty, umami flavour.

Ingredients

• Dumplings
• Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey jack, or pepper jack)
• Oil or oil spray
• Chopped parsley
• Grated parmesan
• Dipping sauce (optional - try chipotle aioli or sweet chilli sauce)

Method

First, prepare your dumplings. You can make your own using a simple dough recipe of flour, eggs, butter, and salt, or use pre-made dumplings. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and carefully add 3 or 4 dumplings, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until they float to the top. Remove the cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander to drain. Repeat this process until all your dumplings are cooked.

Now it's time to make them crispy and cheesy! Heat a small amount of oil or oil spray in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the pan with an even layer of cheddar cheese, making sure the whole surface is covered. You can also use other cheeses like mozzarella, Monterey jack, or pepper jack. Once the cheese starts to melt, place the cooked dumplings on top in a circular design so they stick to the cheese.

Continue cooking until the cheese starts to bubble and turn golden, losing its stretchiness. Finally, you'll see the cheese turn a bit red or brown. When you shake the pan, the dumplings and cheese should move together as one piece. Slide the crispy cheese dumplings onto a plate and garnish with chopped parsley and grated parmesan. Enjoy as they are, or with a dipping sauce like chipotle aioli or sweet chilli sauce.

Farmer cheese dumplings

Ingredients

• Farmer's cheese or any soft cheese
• Egg
• Self-rising flour
• Fresh herbs (rosemary, tarragon, etc.)
• Salt and pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Butter
• Breadcrumbs

Optional Ingredients

• Sour cream
• Oil
• Lard
• Semolina
• Sugar and cinnamon
• Poppy seeds
• Raisins
• Chocolate
• Vanilla sauce

Directions

To make the dumplings, start by combining farmer's cheese or any soft cheese of your choice with an egg. You can also add in some sharper, hard cheeses for extra flavour. Mix in fresh herbs such as rosemary or tarragon, especially if you plan to serve the dumplings with chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper, and stir in enough self-rising flour to create a sticky dough.

Once your dough is ready, use a tablespoon to shape heaping spoonfuls into oval dumplings. Carefully drop the dumplings into a pot of simmering liquid such as gravy, soup, or stew. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, maintaining a steady simmer.

For an extra crispy texture, you can pan-fry the cooked dumplings in butter. To serve, top with fried breadcrumbs and enjoy!

Variations

If you're looking for variations, you can try North Croatian Farmer Cheese Dumplings. This recipe includes lard, semolina, and eggs. The dumplings are boiled and then fried with breadcrumbs. For a sweet twist, you can serve these dumplings with sugar and cinnamon.

You can also experiment with different types of cheese, such as cream cheese or bleu cheese, to create unique flavour profiles.

How to cook cheese dumplings

There are many ways to cook cheese dumplings, depending on the type of dumplings you want to make. You can boil, pan-fry, or deep-fry them. Here are some recipes and methods to help you cook delicious cheese dumplings.

Boiled Cheese Dumplings

For boiled cheese dumplings, you can use soft cheese such as farmer's cheese, cream cheese, or any other dairy product. You can also add sharper, hard cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey jack, or pepper jack. Mix in an egg and season generously. Then, stir in self-rising flour to make a sticky dough.

Once your dough is ready, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop in 3 or 4 dumplings at a time and gently stir to prevent them from sticking. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to remove the dumplings and place them in a colander to drain. Repeat this process until all your dumplings are cooked.

Pan-Fried Cheese Dumplings

To make pan-fried cheese dumplings, you can follow a similar recipe as above. However, instead of boiling the dumplings, you can pan-fry them in butter after they are boiled to give them a slight crispness. You can also freeze these dumplings and pan-fry them whenever you crave them.

Deep-Fried Cheese Dumplings

For an extra crispy version, you can deep-fry your cheese dumplings. Add a generous amount of oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the frozen dumplings and cook each side for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. You can also add cheese to the pan and cook it until it starts melting. Then, place the cooked dumplings on top of the melting cheese in a circular design so that they stick together. Continue cooking until the cheese turns golden and loses its stretchiness.

Cheese dumplings are versatile and can be served as an appetizer, a snack, or a side dish. Enjoy your cheese dumplings with a dipping sauce, sour cream, or a sprinkle of herbs and grated cheese.

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What cheese to use in dumplings

There are a variety of cheeses that can be used in dumplings, depending on the type of dumpling being made.

For a crispy cheese dumpling, cheddar cheese works best, but mozzarella, Monterey jack, or pepper jack are also good options. The pan is first coated with a layer of cheese, which is then topped with cooked dumplings. The cheese is cooked until it turns golden and loses its stretchiness, and the dumplings are then plated and garnished with chopped parsley and grated parmesan.

For soft cheese dumplings, farmer's cheese is a popular choice, but any soft cheese can be used. This type of dumpling is made by combining the cheese with an egg, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and self-rising flour to create a sticky dough. The dumplings are then cooked by being placed on top of a simmering liquid, such as gravy, soup, or stew.

Another option for cheese dumplings is to use a sharp cheddar cheese. These dumplings are made by combining flour, ground mustard, shortening, milk, and cheese to form a dough. The dough is then dropped by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a simmering stew and cooked until firm.

No matter which type of cheese is used, dumplings are a versatile and comforting dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.

Recipes for cheese dumplings

Farmer Cheese Dumplings

This recipe is for American-style dumplings that can be served on top of any liquid, be it gravy, soup, or stew. The dumplings themselves have a texture somewhere between bread and pasta. Start by melting butter in a high saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned. Add onion and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Mix in flour and stir until well mixed, making a roux, for 2 to 3 minutes. You can add more flour if you want a thicker stew. Pour in chicken broth and add carrots and celery. Bring the gravy to a simmer. Meanwhile, make the dumplings by combining farmer's cheese (or any soft cheese), egg, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Transfer heaping spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture over the simmering gravy. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.

Crispy Cheese Dumplings

This recipe for cheese dumplings involves adding just one ingredient to your usual dumpling recipe. Start by adding a small splash of oil or oil spray to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the pan with cheddar cheese in an even layer so the whole surface is covered. Allow the cheese to melt and then add the cooked dumplings on top in a circular design so that they stick to the melting cheese. Continue cooking until the cheese starts to bubble and turn golden, losing its stretchiness. Finally, you'll start to see parts of the cheese turn a bit red or brown. When you shake the pan, the whole thing should move together as one piece, and that's when it's done. Slide the cheese dumplings off the pan and onto a plate gently. Garnish with chopped parsley and grated parmesan. You can serve these dumplings with a dipping sauce like chipotle aioli or sweet chili sauce.

Cheddar Cheese Dumplings

To make the dough for these dumplings, combine flour, eggs, room-temperature butter, and salt in a food processor, bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand in a large bowl. Mix until the dough has the consistency of wet sand. Add water and mix until a workable dough is formed. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, for about 2 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions until they start to soften, for about 5 or 6 minutes. Place two or three teaspoons of the cheese filling in the center of the circles and fold one side of the dough over the filling to form a half circle. Seal the dumplings by pressing the edges together with your fingers or with the tines of a fork. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop 3 or 4 dumplings into the pot and gently stir to prevent them from sticking. Cook for about 4 or 5 minutes, or until they float to the top. Remove the cooked dumplings and put them in a colander to drain. Repeat this process until all the dumplings have been cooked. You can also pan-fry the dumplings in butter after they boil to give them a slight crispness. Serve the dumplings warm with a side of sour cream.

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