Canederli allo speck

How it is made

Quantities are for 4 people, about 12 canederli. The steps are in the order you do them.

1. cut the stale bread into cubes of one centimetre, put them in a large bowl, pour over the warm milk and leave it 10 or 15 minutes until the bread is soft and has taken it all up
2. melt the butter in a pan and soften the chopped onion, then add the speck and cook two or three minutes, stirring, without burning it
3. add the onion and speck to the bread, then the eggs one at a time, the parsley, the salt, the pepper and a grating of nutmeg, and work it well with your hands or a wooden spoon
4. adjust the texture: if the mixture is too wet add flour a little at a time, if it is too stiff a drop of milk. It has to let you shape the balls without them falling apart
5. cover the bowl with a cloth and leave the mixture to rest 20 or 30 minutes
6. wet your hands with cold water and shape firm balls the size of a tennis ball, 70 or 80 grams each
7. bring a large pan of meat broth or salted water to the boil, lower the canederli in and turn the heat down: they cook 15 or 20 minutes without boiling hard, and are done when they rise to the surface and stay firm outside and soft inside
8. serve them in hot broth, or drained and dressed with melted butter, grated parmesan and chives, or else beside sauerkraut or goulash