Categories: Pork/ham, German 
      Yield: 3 servings 
  
      6 sl Slightly stale white bread        1/2 ts Salt (or to taste) 
      5 sl Thick cut bacon                          Yolk of one large egg 
    1/3 c  Light cream                         1 tb Unsalted butter 
    1/2 c  Flour                             1/2 c  Sliced white onions 
    1/2 ts Baking powder                     1/2 lb Rinsed and drained 
    1/4 ts (heaping) caraway seeds                  -sauerkraut 
    1/4 ts Dried thyme                         1 tb Chopped fresh parsley 
    1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper     
  
  1.  Trim the bread slices and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. 
   
  2.  Cut the bacon slices into 1/3 inch squares.  Saute them over moderate 
  heat in a large skillet for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Transfer them 
  to paper towels with a slotted spoon, and pat dry. 
   
  3.  Pour water to a depth of 3 inches into a wide bottomed pot and bring it 
  to a simmer (in preparation for step 8). 
   
  4.  Brown the bread cubes in the hot bacon fat for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer 
  them to a large bowl. 
   
  5.  Add the cream to the bowl.  Gently toss the bread until it absorbs all 
  the cream. Add to this mixture the bacon, flour, baking powder, caraway 
  seeds, thyme, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Beat the egg yolk and 
  add it to the bowl.  Gently blend all the ingredients. 
   
  6.  Shape the mixture into 1 1/4 inch spheres with your hands. (If your 
  mixture is too dry, moisten it with a little more cream.) Place the 
  dumplings on a plate as you make them, arranging them in one layer so they 
  do not touch each other. 
   
  7.  Melt the butter to moderate heat in a clean large skillet. Add the 
  onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sauerkraut and the remaining salt 
  and blend the mixture. Cover, and cook for 12 minutes. 
   
  8.  Cook the dumplings in the simmering water for about 10 minutes (start 
  this step as soon as you cover the onion-sauerkraut pan.)  You need not 
  turn the dumplings as they will do that by themselves. 
   
  9.  Transfer the cooked 'speckknoedel' to a warm bowl and cover them with 
  the onion-sauerkraut mixture. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. 
   
  Serves 3 to 4. 
   
  (Note: The ingredient listing does not show any butter, but the 
  instructions do.  One Tbsp would do adequately, I would think.  (And back 
  home, we would dust the onions with flour near the end of the roasting 
  period, and add a little stock, to have the sauerkraut in a thin sort of 
  gravy.  Karin.) 
   
  From:  GREAT PEASANT DISHES OF THE WORLD by Howard Hillman ISBN 
  0-395-32210-3.  Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 1983 Posted by: Karin Brewer, 
  Cooking Echo, 7/92