In Austria you can now buy these in the frozen food section, but homemade is always best. I've made some very time consuming dishes, but this one tops the list both in terms of work and clean-up. The results, however, are well worth it because it brings back so many memories of our time in Austria. Some suggestions/changes: 1) Regular plums will not suffice for the Italian prune plums. If you can't find them, use apricots and make marillenknödel (i.e. apricot dumplings.) Because apricots are larger, just put half of an apricot into each dumpling so that it will cook properly. 2) I peel the potatoes first and cut into quarters to speed up the boiling time. 3) You need a potato ricer. If you just mash the potatoes, the consistency will not be correct. You can buy one for under $10 at places like Bed, Bath & Beyond. 4) Regular, plain breadcrumbs. Not seasoned. Not panko. 5) The recipe is sweet - kids love it - so we're not a big fan of the sugar cube in the middle. Instead, sprinkle a little powdered sugar for the garnish. 6) Regarding farina, it is a wheat "cereal," so look for it in the oatmeal section and not the baking aisle with the flour. Some regular grocery stores carry it, but a natural food store is a better bet. You can buy a box at Trader Joe's for $2.99 (although, the big question is what to cook with the rest!) This is a truly authentic recipe that turns out just as good as the original in Austria. Thank you!

Reviewed On: Sep. 8, 2011

I've made this recipe on several occasions. When the cookies turn out well, they are scrumptious and are easily gone in two days. We refer to them as walnut lace cookies because they are light, have a little crunch, and are flavorful. But, as other reviewers have mentioned, I've have had my share of problems with this recipe. Three egg yolks usually aren't enough to make the batter stick (it hardly clumps together!) So, I either add another egg yolk (making 4 in total) or 2 egg yolks and one whole egg. I also have major issues with the term "finely ground walnuts." One time, I pulsed whole walnuts in a food processor to create finely ground nuts; I ended up with one, big, runny cookie. Another time, I lightly pounded whole walnuts in a plastic bag with a skillet; the end result was a slightly less runny cookie. So, I now used chopped walnut pieces. My cookies aren't as smooth as the ones shown in the photograph, but at least they are individual cookies. Also, I think using a silpat pad works better than the parchment paper. As the recipe suggests, do leave space between cookies because they spread and 20 minutes is indeed sufficient cooking time.

Reviewed On: Jul. 20, 2010

Close, but not entirely authentic. Add parsley (about 1/2 cup finely chopped) and mint. Ironically dried mint (labeled as mint flakes in traditional grocery stores) works best - 1 or 2 tbsp. Also, for clarification, red onion not white onion. While lemon juice is typically used in this dish in northern Iran, try it southern style with lime juice instead. It adds a little more zing. We usually use at least one (if not two) freshly squeezed lemon/lime; 1 tbsp is too little. Finally, let the salad refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to blend the flavors. This salad makes a great accompaniment to Middle Eastern dishes such as kabob, kofta, falafel, donair, etc, but also try it with steak or carne asada. Yum.

Reviewed On: Jul. 20, 2010