Polish National Dishes

Gòlce / nadzy klosczy (Kashubian gray potato dumplings)

Gòlce, also called nadzy klosczy, are small gray potato dumplings from the Pomeranian food tradition. The Ministry of Agriculture added this prepared dish to Poland’s Traditional Products List on 31 March 2008. Its description identifies short, irregular, elongated dumplings with ragged edges, about 3 × 1 cm, and a compact yet soft, springy texture. It describes their flavor as cooked potato with flour and seasoning, but gives no measured formula.

Polish National Dishes
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Kashubian gray potato dumplings, short irregular ragged-edged pieces topped with crisp bacon and fried onion. with braised sauerkraut on the side.
Yield 32 short, irregular dumplings, 4 servings
Serving 8 dumplings with one quarter of the bacon-and-onion topping
Prep time 35 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Ingredients ↓
At a glance

Gòlce / nadzy klosczy (Kashubian gray potato dumplings)

Gòlce, also called nadzy klosczy, are small gray potato dumplings from the Pomeranian food tradition. The Ministry of Agriculture added this prepared dish to Poland’s Traditional Products List on 31 March 2008. Its description identifies short, irregular, elongated dumplings with ragged edges, about 3 × 1 cm, and a compact yet soft, springy texture. It describes their flavor as cooked potato with flour and seasoning, but gives no measured formula.

This four-serving home adaptation follows a regional Kociewie recipe for golce made from grated raw potatoes, egg, flour and potato starch. The raw potato gives the dumplings their gray color; firm squeezing and returning the settled starch help the spoon-dropped batter hold together. The pieces stay small and ragged-edged to match the registered description. This measured method is a practical home version, not a recipe supplied by the Ministry.

Keep this dish distinct from rank 137’s round Kashubian dumplings made with cooked and raw potatoes, rank 138’s cooked-potato Kociewie dumplings, and the separately registered meat-filled Golce kociewskie z mięsem. Kociewie sources document bacon and onion, rendered pork fat with onion, or braised sauerkraut as accompaniments; this version uses bacon and onion, with sauerkraut as an optional side.

Tips for success

Tips for success

  • Use floury potatoes and grate them finely. Work promptly because raw grated potato oxidizes and darkens.
  • Squeeze the grated potato firmly through a clean cloth, but save the expressed liquid so its starch can settle and return to the batter.
  • Add the measured flour in two additions. The mixture should be thick enough to hold a short, ragged shape without becoming a kneaded dough.
  • Keep the dumplings small, about 3 × 1 cm, and elongated with uneven edges; this shape follows the registered description and cooks quickly.
  • Lower spoonfuls into gently boiling salted water in batches. After they float, cook about 3 minutes more and check that the thickest center reaches at least 71 °C.
  • Let the cooked dumplings drain well before serving so the bacon-and-onion topping clings instead of becoming watery.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Raw-potato dumplings

  • 600 g peeled floury potatoes (weight before grating)
  • 2 l arge eggs, about 100 g without shells
  • 180 g plain wheat flour, added in two portions
  • 25 g potato starch
  • 7 g fine salt
  • 1 g ground black pepper

Boiling water

  • 5 L water
  • 20 g salt for the dumpling water

Bacon and onion topping

  • 150 g smoked bacon or pork belly sold for cooking, diced
  • 120 g peeled onion, finely chopped
  • 10 g neutral oil or pork lard
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Render the bacon.Dice 150 g smoked bacon or cooking pork belly. Fry in a large skillet over medium-low heat for 8–12 minutes, following the package directions, until crisp and its fat renders. Lift out with a slotted spoon, reserve the drippings, and keep the bacon warm.

  2. Grate and squeeze the potatoes.Peel and finely grate 600 g floury potatoes. Transfer them to a clean cloth set over a bowl and squeeze firmly. Let the expressed liquid stand for 10 minutes, pour off the clear water, and keep the white potato starch settled at the bottom. Return that starch to the squeezed potatoes.

  3. Mix the batter.Add 2 eggs, 25 g potato starch, 7 g salt, 1 g black pepper and 150 g of the flour to the potatoes. Mix, then gradually add the remaining 30 g flour until the batter is very thick and holds a short spoonful. Do not knead it.

  4. Heat the water and shape.Bring 5 L water and 20 g salt to a boil in an 8 L pot, then reduce to a steady gentle boil. Use a wet tablespoon or knife to cut small portions directly into the water, shaping them into irregular elongated dumplings about 3 × 1 cm with ragged edges. Work in batches without crowding.

  5. Cook the dumplings.Once each batch floats, cook for about 3 minutes more. Check the thickest dumpling with a clean thermometer: its center must reach at least 71 °C and the raw-potato batter must be fully cooked. Lift out with a slotted spoon and repeat with the remaining batter.

  6. Cook the onion topping.Finely chop 120 g onion. Add 10 g oil or pork lard and 1 tablespoon reserved bacon drippings to the skillet. Cook the onion over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until soft and lightly golden, then fold in the crisp bacon.

  7. Serve.Divide 8 dumplings among each of four plates. Spoon one quarter of the bacon-and-onion topping over each serving.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

  • Caloriesabout 600 kcal per serving
  • Proteinabout 25 g
  • Fatabout 23 g
  • Saturated fatabout 9 g
  • Carbohydratesabout 76 g
  • Fiberabout 5 g
  • Sodiumabout 900 mg

The dumplings contain wheat/gluten and egg; the bacon and pork lard contain pork. Check flour, packaged bacon and lard labels for allergens and additives. Keep uncooked egg batter refrigerated if it is not cooked promptly; cool cooked food within 2 hours and reheat leftovers thoroughly.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

Serving, storage and reheating: Serve hot with the bacon-and-onion topping. Regional Kociewie sources also document rendered pork fat with onion or sauerkraut braised with bacon and onion. These are optional serving variations and do not change the dumpling batter.

Serving, storage and reheating: Raw grated potato darkens, so grate and mix the batter shortly before cooking. If egg batter must be held, refrigerate it at or below 4 °C and cook within 24 hours. Bacon and onion can be cooked ahead, cooled within 2 hours, refrigerated at or below 4 °C, and reheated to 74 °C.

Serving, storage and reheating: Cool cooked leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate at or below 4 °C within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days and reheat the dumplings and topping throughout to 74 °C. For best quality, freeze fully cooked dumplings in a single layer until firm, pack airtight and use within 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 74 °C.

The dumplings contain wheat/gluten and egg; the bacon and pork lard contain pork. Check flour, packaged bacon and lard labels for allergens and additives. Keep uncooked egg batter refrigerated if it is not cooked promptly; cool cooked food within 2 hours and reheat leftovers thoroughly.

Estimate basis: one quarter of the batter made from 600 g potatoes, 2 eggs, 180 g flour and 25 g starch, plus one quarter of 150 g bacon, 120 g onion and 10 g oil or lard; values vary with potato moisture, bacon fat rendered and salt uptake.

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