So it can be done.
I’ve finally made kohlrabi into something more exciting than slaw. Kohlrabi is just one of those vegetables that is impossible to get excited about. It’s kind of a pain to work with, doesn’t taste that interesting, but grows like crazy here in Wisconsin. Last year, we went probably two months straight getting it in every CSA basket.
This year, the volume of kohlrabi has been pretty low (thank you, King’s Hill Farm). When we have gotten it, I’ve bounced back and forth from this apple and walnut slaw and this Thai salad from Wisconsin From Scratch. When I’ve tried other ways of preparing it, I’ve consistently been disappointed, but this week, I decided to take on a challenge. Transform kohlrabi into something it’s not meant to be…like gnocchi.
Whenever I need an idea for a really off-the-wall recipe, I turn to my handy Victory Garden Cookbook. Written in the 1980s, it promoted self-sufficiency by way of gardening after the energy crisis of the 70s. The photos in this book, oh man, let’s just say that food photography has come a long way.
Recipe writing has also come a long way. I took inspiration from the “Kohlrabi Dumpling” recipe which starts out with the following statement: “Cook the kohlrabi stems, peel, and roughly chop.”
Cook? Cook how? No details are provided.
I’ve adapted this recipe by adding kale, parsley, changing around the proportions of certain ingredients, and omitting a couple extra steps. I’ve also added some details around the more vague areas.
Nevertheless, the credit goes to the cookbook author, as I would never have thought of making kohlrabi into gnocchi. Gnocchi, as I’m sure you’re well aware, are usually made out of potatoes, and I’ve had my fair share of variations on that theme on the blog already (like carrot and ricotta gnocchi). Kohlrabi aren’t incredibly starchy, so you will need to add some flour and egg to help bind the dumplings together (you’ll actually make the paste intended for the classic French pastry, pâte à choux). There is also cheese, both ricotta and Parmesan, thrown in for additional flavor and gooeyness.
This recipe is, undoubtedly, somewhat of a project. You’ll boil the kohlrabi, puree them with the other ingredients, form them into dumplings and boil those, and then finish it all off by frying them in butter. It takes time and a little work, for sure, but in the end you’ll have a dumpling that tastes amazing, but it’s made out of kohlrabi. Who knew such things were possible?
- 1 pound small kohlrabi, about 2-3, stems trimmed
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon butter, divided
- ¼ pound kale, about 4 large leaves, stems removed and chopped
- ⅔ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup parsley
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add kohlrabi (peel still on) and boil for about 30 minutes, until tender (a fork should easily be able to puncture through to the center). Drain water and let kohlrabi cool slightly. Then, using a knife, peel off hard skin. Coarsely chop kohlrabi and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium high heat. Add kale and cook until wilted.
- Combine chopped kohlrabi, kale, ricotta, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and gradually add in flour, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick and flour is evenly integrated. Return to heat and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes, until mixture no longer sticks to the sides of the pan.
- Transfer flour mixture to a large bowl and mix in eggs, one at a time, until they are fully absorbed.
- Add in warm kohlrabi mixture and ½ cup Parmesan cheese and mix well.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to gentle boil.
- Flour your hands and form kohlrabi mixture into 1½ inch dumplings, dropping them into the water as you go. Be careful not to overcrowd the dumplings - only do 6-8 at a time to make sure they have space. Dumplings will sink to the bottom and then float to the top. Cook each batch for about 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate in a single layer (don't stack them).
- Let dumplings cool and dry out slightly, about 15 minutes.
- Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add dumplings and cook until browned on both sides. Again, you may need to do this part in batches.
- To serve, top with remaining Parmesan cheese and additional parsley.
Recipe adapted from Victory Garden Cookbook.
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