Schupfnudeln

These crisp potato fingers make a great companion for the typical Sauerkraut.

• 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• salt and freshly milled black pepper
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup butter or vegetable oil

1. Boil the potatoes in their skins until tender. Drain and cool for several hours. Peel the cooked potatoes and pass them through a potato ricer or mash with a potato masher. Mix them with the eggs and the flour. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
2. Using your hands, shape the potato mixture into fingers with two pointy ends. If the dough sticks to your hands, moisten them with cold water.
3. Bring water to a boil in a large pot and reduce the heat. Drop small batches of the fingers into the just simmering water. Cook until they float on the top. Take them out of the water and drop into a bowl of cold water. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.
4. Heat the butter and sauté the fingers until golden brown and crisp on all sides. Drain on paper towels and keep warm until all fingers are done.

Source: Nadia Hassani: “Spoonfuls of Germany” (Hippocrene Books, 2004)