Ingredients:
Egg Pasta Dough:
• 1/3 cup cold water (add gradually as needed)
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
Meat & Herb Filling:
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 5 oz thick-cut bacon, finely diced
• 8 oz lean ground beef
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely minced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed completely dry
• 1 oz day-old white bread (about 1 thick slice, crust removed), torn into small bits
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp spicy German-style mustard
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Broth & Garnish:
• 3 tbsp fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
• 2 quarts rich beef broth (or bone broth)
Directions:
Dough:
• In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or by hand in a large mixing bowl), combine the flour, salt, 2 eggs, oil, and most of the water.
• Knead on medium-low for 5 to 7 minutes (or 8 to 10 minutes by hand) until the dough is smooth, supple, and non-sticky; add the remaining water only if dry flour remains.
• Form into a tight ball, rub with a drop of oil, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
Filling:
• In a skillet over medium heat, fry the diced bacon for 4 to 5 minutes until crisp.
• Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, reserving the rendered fat in the pan.
• Add the finely minced onion and garlic to the bacon drippings and sauté over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
• Transfer to the bowl with the bacon and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Add the ground beef, thoroughly squeezed dry spinach, torn bread, egg, chopped parsley, mustard, marjoram, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the bacon and onions.
• Knead vigorously with your hands (or pulse briefly in a food processor) until completely cohesive, pasty, and uniform in texture.
Dumplings:
• Divide the rested dough into two equal halves on a lightly floured surface.
• Roll one portion out into a thin sheet roughly 12 x 18 inches (1/8-inch thick or thinner; if using a pasta roller, work in smaller sections to the second-thinnest setting).
• Slice the sheet lengthwise down the center, then make five crosswise cuts to create 12 rectangles (each roughly 3 x 6 inches).
• Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon (about the size of a small walnut) of filling onto the lower half of each rectangle.
• Lightly brush the pastry borders with water.
• Fold the dough over the filling to form a packet, pressing firmly along the edges to push out air pockets and crimp tightly to seal. Transfer to a flour-dusted rimmed baking sheet.
• Repeat with the second dough portion to yield 24 dumplings total.
• In a wide pot, bring the beef broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat (do not let it boil vigorously, which can burst the seals). • Lower one-third of the dumplings into the simmering broth.
• Cook uncovered at a gentle simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until tender and cooked through.
• Transfer with a slotted spider to warm bowls and repeat with the remaining batches.
• Ladle steaming beef broth directly over the dumplings in each bowl.
• Garnish generously with freshly minced chives and cracked pepper.
