Grisové Plnky
"Semolina Dumplings"
From the treasured pages of Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči
Unknown Author
Grisové Plnky
"Štvrf funta čerstvého masla v nádobe na penu rozmiešať, k tomu dve celé vajcia a tri žltky jedon po druhom zamiešať, posoliť a na ostatok pridať žajdlík grisu, to do hromady srobiť a nechať trochu stáť, aby stuhlo. Z tohoto urobiť plnky vo veľkosti vajca, zavariť do vrelej vody, nechať asi pol hodiny variť, po odvarení pol žajdlíka studenej vody na ne naliať, odložiť na horúce miesto a zakryté nechať stáť. Pred nastolovaním vybrať na misu, žemlové omrviny v čerstvom masle na žlto upražiť a i s maslom na plnky vyliať."
English Translation
"Mix a quarter pound of fresh butter in a bowl until creamy, then add two whole eggs and three yolks, one at a time, mixing after each. Add some salt, then finally add a small cup of semolina, mix everything together and let it stand for a while to stiffen. Shape this mixture into dumplings the size of an egg, drop them into boiling water, and cook for about half an hour. After cooking, pour half a cup of cold water over them, set them aside in a warm place, and keep them covered. Before serving, place on a dish, fry breadcrumbs in fresh butter until golden, and pour the butter and crumbs over the dumplings."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in a conversational, almost oral style, typical of 19th-century cookbooks aimed at readers already familiar with basic kitchen skills. Terms like 'žajdlík' recall the era’s use of local measures—here meaning a cup or ladle, roughly 125 ml. Quantities are less precise than today, relying on the cook’s experience and intuition. Spelling follows the conventions of 19th-century Slovak, with some archaic forms ('štvrf funta' for 'a quarter pound', 'srobiť' meaning 'mix together'). This reflects a living kitchen language, not standardized for modern readers.
Title
Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči (1870)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1870
Publisher
Unknown
Background
An enchanting culinary treasure from the 19th century, this Slovak cookery book serves up a delightful array of recipes (recepty) to tempt the palate and inspire home chefs. A flavorful journey through time, it captures traditional tastes and kitchen wisdom with old-world charm.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe hails from an 1870 Slovak cookbook, capturing a time when home cooks relied on techniques passed down through generations, and measurements were often approximate. 'Grisové plnky' were a popular side dish or even a delicate main course in Central European kitchens, particularly as luxurious accompaniments to meats or sauces. The recipe demonstrates both resourcefulness and indulgence, combining simple pantry staples—eggs, butter, semolina—into an elegant dish. This was an era before factory-made convenience foods, when every component, from breadcrumbs to butter, was likely homemade or purchased fresh from the market.
Cooks would have used a deep earthenware or heavy metal bowl to cream the butter and beat in eggs. A sturdy wooden spoon or a whisk crafted from bundled twigs was used for mixing. For shaping, hands were dipped in water to prevent sticking, and the dumplings were poached in a large iron pot over an open fire or wood stove. A small pan, likely cast-iron or copper, would be used to toast breadcrumbs in butter over gentle heat.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings
6
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 4.5 oz fresh butter
- 2 whole eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup fine semolina (gries)
- Fresh white breadcrumbs (for topping)
- 1 oz butter (for frying breadcrumbs)
Instructions
- Start by creaming 4.5 ounces of fresh butter in a bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add in two whole eggs and three additional yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Stir in about 1/2 cup of fine semolina (gries).
- Mix everything together to form a soft dough and let it rest for 10-15 minutes, allowing it to firm up a little.
- With wet hands, form dumplings the size of a hen’s egg.
- Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil, lower the dumplings in, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Once done, pour in half a cup (about 2 ounces) of cold water, cover, and keep the dumplings warm in the hot water until serving.
- For the topping, fry fresh white breadcrumbs in a generous knob of butter until golden.
- Pour this over the dumplings before serving.
Estimated Calories
290 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 15 minutes to mix and shape the dough, plus 30 minutes to gently simmer the dumplings. Each dumpling has about 290 calories, and this recipe makes 6 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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