Nokedli (Hungarian dumplings)

• Before serving, you can toss them with a little butter or oil to keep them from sticking together.
  
  
• If serving them alongside a saucy dish, extra fat is not necessary.

Preparing the dough

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, eggs, and salt, then gradually add the water. Stir with a wooden spoon or by hand until you get a soft but not runny, thick batter-like dough. (The consistency should resemble a thick pancake batter, slightly stretchy.)

Boiling the water

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add a little oil as well (this helps prevent the dumplings from sticking together).

Forming the dumplings

Once the water is boiling, press the dough through a spaetzle or dumpling maker into the water. (If you do not have such a tool, you can also cut small pieces of dough from a wet board using a knife.)

Cooking

When the dumplings float to the surface, cook them for another 1–2 minutes.

Draining and rinsing

Drain the dumplings, rinse them briefly with cold water, then serve warm.