dumpling, small mass of leavened dough that is either boiled or steamed and served in soups or stews or with fruit. Dumplings are most commonly formed from flour or meal bound with egg and then simmered in water or gravy stock until they take on a light cakey texture. Many recipes call for herbs, onions, grated cheese, or chopped meat to be rolled into the dough before cooking.
Many ethnic varieties of the dumpling have found their way into popular cookery. Many cookbooks include the Hungarian nockerl, which often contains grated cheese, and the central European spaetzle, made by forcing the dough through a colander into boiling water. Gnocchi, an Italian variety, often contain potato or pumpkin pulp.
Unleavened matzo meal is used to make dumplings served by Jewish people on holidays or the traditional Sabbath eve. Both the Jewish kreplach and the Chinese wonton, usually served in soups, are filled noodle pockets rather than dumplings. Oriental dumplings are typically filled with a combination of shrimp, pork, beef, and vegetables and flavoured with soy. Apple and other fruit dumplings are desserts made by baking fruit wrapped in biscuit dough.