Norfolk Dumplings is a traditional English recipe (from Norfolk) for a classic yeasted dumpling made simply from flour, salt and yeast that's cooked for 20 minutes. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic English version of: Norfolk Dumplings.
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Norfolk is the home of the dumpling, and the name was actually coined there in the 17th century where the dialect borrowed the low German word for ‘lump’ — an earthy name that perhaps robbed them from the outset of any possible glamour. Added to this is the fact that the initial purpose of a dumpling was to fill stomachs cheaply and distract attention from a probable shortage of meat in a meal. As dumplings are normally cooked on top of a stew they quickly became colloquially known as 'swimmers'.
In the 18th century, Hannah Glasse extolled the virtues of the Norfolk ‘yeast’ dumpling. In more modern times, Elizabeth David accounts for the tenacity of the yeasted dumpling in the region with the fact that the bread ovens were kept alight until after the Second World War, leaving traditional cooking methods intact.
A Norfolk swimmer is therefore a fairly dry yeasted flour dough (no suet here) that's added to a stew or dish for the final 20 minutes of cooking. They can, of course, be cooked in boiling lightly salted water for 20 minutes and served to accompany any meal with a generous amount of sauce.
Ingredients:
225g plain flour
1 tsp salt
7g live yeast
300ml pint of warm water
Method:
Combine the flour and salt in a bowl.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, then mix with the flour and salt. Knead the dough to a dry but springy consistency, adding more flour if necessary.
Cover and set aside to rise for an hour.
Shape up into four balls and boil in a 5-litre pan of water for 20 minutes. Alternatively, sit on top of a stew for the final 20 minutes of cooking
