This recipe for Polish potato dumplings or kopytka (koh-PIT-kah) is made with cooked mashed potatoes. Their name means "little hooves" because of their shape. Simply made with potatoes, flour, egg, and salt, these dumplings are shaped and then boiled in salted water.

Polish Potato Dumplings (Kopytka) made with mashed potatoes, flour and egg. These dumplings are perfect served with garlic, onion, mushrooms and bacon!

Leftover mashed potatoes can also be used to make delicious cakes or casserole with bacon and cheese.

Kopytka are Polish potato dumplings, popular in the southern part of Poland. They are made with mashed potatoes, egg and flour. They are cooked in salted water and can be served right away or sauteed in pan for a crispy exterior. Add sauteed garlic, onion, mushrooms and bacon for more texture and flavor.

HOW TO MAKE POLISH POTATO DUMPLINGS KOPYTKA?

Start with mashed potatoes. They should be cold, so this is a great way to use up leftover potatoes.

Add egg and flour and mix until the dough comes together. Place dough onto a floured surface and divide into two parts. Roll one part of the dough into a long log and slice into 1.5 to 2″ dumplings.

In a large saucepan or pot, boil water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add 5 to 8 dumplings at a time to the boiling water and cook until they start to float at the top. Remove and place on plate. Repeat with remaining dumplings.

You can serve the dumplings right away as a side dish or follow the suggestion below.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups mashed potatoes cold

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour see note

INSTRUCTIONS

Place mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl. They should be cold, so this is a great way to use up leftover potatoes.

Add egg and flour and mix until the dough comes together. Place dough onto a floured surface and divide into two parts. Roll one part of the dough into a long log and slice into 1.5 to 2" dumplings.

In a large saucepan or pot, boil water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add 5 to 8 dumplings at a time to the boiling water and cook until they start to float at the top. Remove and place on a plate. Repeat with remaining dumplings.

You can serve the dumplings right away as a side dish or follow the suggestion below.

In a skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add cooked dumplings and cook until golden brown. Remove onto a plate. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 small yellow onion (chopped), 4 slices of bacon (chopped) and 4 white mushrooms (washed, sliced). Saute until fragrant and the bacon is crispy. Toss with dumplings and serve.

To make 2 cups of mashed potatoes, you will need a little less than a pound of potatoes. After cooking, drain from water, mash with a splash or milk and cool completely before using to make dumplings.

You may need more flour to dust the surface for cutting dumplings.

The nutritional value does not include the garlic, onion, mushrooms and bacon.

Tips

If serving these dumplings with pan juices, omit the polonaise topping step. Or serve with your favorite sauce.

This recipe works best if the potatoes are freshly cooked. You can boil the potatoes, bake them in the oven, or even air fry them. Once cool enough to handle, peel and mash well or run through a ricer. Finely mashed, fluffy potatoes will produce dumplings with the best texture.

How to Store and Freeze

Any leftover Polish potato dumplings can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for three to five days.

These dumplings are perfect for preparing ahead of time. Simply make up the dough, place the cut dough onto a cookie sheet and freeze. When frozen, put the uncooked dumplings into a freezer bag and store for up to three months.