Knedle, or knedleh, is a sort of fried dumplings with no filling. Can be eaten alone or as a soup cracker, especially with chicken soup.
This recipe is my family's maternal line favorite, for at least three generations back. I believe it qualifies for traditional. I learned it from my mother and remember her arguing with my grandmother about details. Here is my mother's version.
For a bowl of knedle: take one large egg and as much water as an egg-shell would hold. Blend water and egg well with a fork. Add at least 1/2 tsp of salt. At this point you can add sesame, grated cheese, poppyseed or pepper, as well as any herbs. None of this is traditional, but tastes great. My grandma added backing powder, too, but I don't: in my experience, the knedle will get larger on their own, and the taste of smallest amount of baking powder ruins the dish for me. Add as much flour as it will take. Use white bread flour, preferably, or white all-purpose flour. Roll the dough in an inch-thick rope. Cut the dough in slanted one inch thick sections. Smaller, half an inch thick knedle are OK, larger ones will not cook thoroughly.
Heat a small frying pan on high heat until the rim is hot to touch. Add refined vegetable oil (enough to make it at least 1/8" dip) to the pan and heat it. Put pieces of dough on the pan. The lower sides will enlarge and brown quickly. Turn the knedle over and fry the other side. Remove fried knedle from the pan and place on a paper towel. Serve with clear chicken soup or broth. Knedle are best warm. Knedle stale quickly, so don't cook them in advance.
See also: kitchen, chicken soup, frying pan, bread flour, challah, gefilte fish.