Artichoke Bread Dumplings

This is a recipe from Chef Maria Luisa Scolastra, Foligno near Perugia, Italy. She writes recipes for Süddeutsche Zeitung with the other Chefs Jürgens, Nakamura and Grabmer.

I am an huge fan of all kinds of dumplings. Dumplings were the reason to start my blog 4, 5 years ago.
Bread dumplings are well known in the South of Germany. A great way to use up some leftover bread. The method in this recipe from Italy is nearly the same.

The recipe calls for fresh artichokes. No problem to get them at the supermarket in France. But here in Germany they are mostly not available. Even if you find some, the stalks are so dry and brittle and the arthichokes are dried out. 

I used a jar of artichoke hearts. Less hassle and good quality.

recipe for 4:
1 jar artichoke hearts
60 g Guanciale
zest of half a lemon
150 ml tepid milk
250 g Italian wheat bread
2 eggs
100 g onion
2 cloves of garlic
small bunch of thyme
6 mint leaves
10 g parsley
1 stalk of sage
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
50 g Parmesan
grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp potato starch

Cut the bread into small cubes and pour the milk over them.

Chop onions and garlic and in 50 g butter and 1 tbsp olive oil start them. Add chopped thyme and mint and the pieces of Italian Speck. Let it saute for 7 min, add the drained and chopped artichoke hearts. Season with salt and pepper.
Por that over the bread and stir.
Grate nutmeg and Parmesan in and break two eggs in. Use you hand to squish it all around a couple of times. You will feel if you will need a bit of flour.
Stick the bowl in the fridge for 20 min to set.

Bring salted water with some potato starch to the boil. Use an oiled spoon and form dumplings. They will need 15 min in simmering not boiling water.
Drain and make a sage butter and serve the dumplings with some mor Parmesan