Anna Sultana’s German Potato Soup with Rivels and Peasant Bread

 

Last December was dry, much like the earlier months of 2021, and we didn’t have much snow in Manitoba.
Well, January has been playing catch up on the snow and temperature front.
We’re back to having every-other-day snow falls, strong winds, and our traditional ‘skin can freeze in 5 seconds’ temperatures.

With traditions like that, it’s best to stay home.
While you’re hunkering down, why not make a big pot of soup and a loaf of bread?


My family has been Maltese since before St. Paul's shipwreck, when he dropped in for a visit on his way to Rome.
But, in the 1950s we moved to College Point, a German / Irish town on Long Island, and my parents worked at Lily Tulip.
Other women worked with Ma and, as usually happens, recipes, including soup and bread recipes, were exchanged.

In addition to being a warming meal during winter, soup is usually a great way to use up bits and pieces in the kitchen.
Soup is also delicious a few days after it's been made, making it perfect for busy women who came home tired from a full day of working at the factory.
Ah, the good old 1950s, when men weren’t expected to know their way around a kitchen.

Whatever... we’re still busy and a leftover meal is always a good thing to have.
German Potato Soup is an old recipe and, like most other old recipes, there are many variations.
Experiment and enjoy!

Peasant bread is easy to make, nothing like making sourdough bread.
The crusty loaf is delicious served warm and buttered, with soup or salad.
Or with Anna Sultana's Minestrone with Garlic Croutons or Garden Soup.

Hints:

About the German Potato Soup...
You could substitute 1 Cup heavy cream and 1 Cup whole or 2% milk in place of the 2 Cups whole milk to make it richer.
Or you can use 1 Cup evaporated milk and 1 Cup water.

Don’t have cream but want a thicker soup? No problem.
Boil a few potatoes in enough water to cover.
Drain, mash and stir into the soup.
Add whole milk and butter for taste.
You can also use chicken stock in place of the water for more flavour.

Or you could make a roux to thicken the soup.
A roux is a mixture of fat, margarine or butter, and flour, and is used to make sauces.
Just melt the butter, stir in an equal amount of flour and cook, stirring, a few minutes.
Slowly stir in the milk or other liquid and cook a little longer until you have a sauce.

You can add:
cheese and sour cream
onion and garlic
some diced pork chop
chopped or shredded carrots (about 1/4 Cup)
sliced hard boiled eggs
a teaspoon of cider vinegar in the soup and chopped onion sprinkled on top

You can also leave out the bacon and add more butter.

Rivels are little homemade egg noodles.
They are good in beef and chicken stew, as well as in vegetable soups.
If you’re in a rush you can substitute 2 cups egg noodles.

About the Peasant Bread...
You can add different spices for a little extra flavour.
Flour your hands to make it easier to handle the dough.

You can use bread pans or you could shape each half into a loaf and place the loaves on a greased baking sheet. 

If after the bread has baked you decide you want a browner loaf you can place the loaves under the broiler for a few minutes.

                                                               German Potato Soup with Rivels

Serves 6 to 8

Peel and dice
3 Cups potatoes

Chop fine
3 slices bacon
1 small onion
2 stalks celery with leaves

Place in a dutch oven 
the chopped bacon
Fry until crisp and brown.
Add
the diced peeled potatoes
the chopped onion and celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Cover with water and cook until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

While the soup is simmering make the rivels:
Place on a flat surface such as a cutting board
1 Cup flour
Make a well in the centre, then add
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Scraping the board when needed, work these ingredients together.
Knead once or twice, then chop the dough into small pieces.

Put the rivels into the gently boiling soup, stirring constantly so they stay separate.
Stir in
2 Cups milk
3 Tablespoons butter
Cook 10 to 15 minutes, until rivels or noodles are done.
Ladle into bowls.
Garnish each serving with a bit of butter and fresh minced parsley (optional)

                                                               Peasant Bread


Place in a large bowl
2 Cups warm water
Stir in
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
Let sit for five minutes.

Add

4 Cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
Stir until the dough forms a ball.
You do not knead this dough.
Cover with a cloth and place in a warm place.
Let sit for 1 hour.

Grease 2 1-quart bowls.
Remove the cloth, punch the dough down and divide the dough into two pieces.

Place each piece in a prepared bowl.
Cover and let rise for another 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425º F

Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Turn heat down to 375º F and bake for another 15 minutes.
Let bread cool for 15 minutes before removing from bowls.