Potato Dumplings

Wash the potatoes thoroughly (preferably a low-starch, "salad" variety) and boil them in their skins in salted water for 25-35 minutes until tender.

Peel the hot potatoes right away, spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and let them cool completely — ideally leave them overnight in a cool place (at least 8 hours, preferably around 10 hours): cold potatoes give a dry, springy dough.

Grate the chilled potatoes finely straight into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, semolina, potato starch and salt. Add this dry mixture and the egg to the grated potatoes and quickly knead by hand into a soft, compact dough — don't knead for more than a couple of minutes, or the dough will turn sticky and heavy.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a log about 5-6 cm in diameter and 20-25 cm long.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and carefully lower the logs into the water.

Simmer for 20-23 minutes without turning, until the dumplings float to the surface and feel springy to the touch.

Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, immediately prick them in several places with a fork to release the steam, and brush with melted butter to keep the crust from drying out.

Using a sharp knife dipped in water, cut into slices about 1.5 cm thick and serve hot with meat gravy or onions sautéed in butter.