As per request of one of my dear readers, I wanted to introduce this much loved soup of our grandmothers. I am not sure where the soup originates from (Austria perhaps), but it is well known all over the old continent. It is delicious, easily made and filling.
The base for the soup can be chicken or veal stock and dumplings are made from farina flour. This flour is coarse and resembles grits, but unlike grits, it is made from wheat. Apparently for many years I was confusing the name for semolina and farina flour. I recently learned that semolina is mainly used for making pasta and gnocchi and farina is used as cereal (cream of wheat). In Bosnia farina is called griz and in Germany grieß. We mainly use farina for dumplings and desserts. If you happen to go through my recipe index, my Semolina Pudding should actually read farina pudding (I promise I will change that).
Chicken Soup with Farina Dumplings
Chicken stock:
- 1. 5 – 2 l (1.5 – 2 quarts) water
- 100-200 g (3.5 – 7 oz) chicken (I usually use breast without skin, but dark meat can be used as well) or veal
- 2 medium carrots (cut once lengthwise and once across)
- 1 parsnip (cut once lengthwise and once across)
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 small onion
- 2 parsley twigs
- Vegeta
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parsley (finely chopped)
Farina dumplings:
- 100 g (3.5 oz) farina flour
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1 pinch of fresh ground black pepper
- 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
- 50 g butter (1.7 oz)- at room temperature
- 1 egg
Preparation:
- In a stock pot filled with water add chicken and all the vegetables. Bring it to a boil and then lower the temperature and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Strain the stock and set aside all that’s left in the sieve.
- Return the clear stock into the pot. Finely chop chicken, carrots and parsnip and put back into the stock. Onion, celery, and parsley can be discarded. Spice with vegeta, salt and pepper. Let it simmer lightly.
- Dumplings need to be prepared immediately before you want to add them to the soup. Do not let the dumpling mixture sit and wait, because they will not turn out good.
- For the dumplings combine farina with salt, pepper and nutmeg in a small bowl. Add softened butter and egg and make a mixture gently mixing with a fork. Do not use electric mixer. Do not over mix.
- Take a small spoon and grab some of the mixture. With another spoon help shape the mixture into a nice oval and put it into simmering soup. Work fast. Dumplings will start expanding and coming to the surface.
- When they are about triple in size, turn off the stove, add chopped parsley to the soup and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving. If dumplings are made right they will have a soft consistency, somewhat grainy texture and will not be hard or fall apart.
*** I suggest not to make these dumplings with hands as you may squeeze and press the mixture too much and then they will be too hard after they are done.
bakingwithsibella.com 
This soup looks great, Sibella! Thank you for the recipe. Fae.
Thank you Fae and thanks for visiting! 🙂
How cozy and delicious. I made a chicken and dumpling but this is really interesting and I am sure light and fluffy unlike dumplings. Please stay warm and cozy is cold Michigan. take care, BAM
Hi Bobbi, these dumplings are, just like you said, light and fluffy. I hope you will get to try them soon. Staying warm and hoping for spring! Take my friend!
Sibella
Another soup to get us to the end of winter. I love soups and dumplings, Sibella. Your farina dumplings are calling to me.
Hi Kathleen and thank you so much! 🙂 I am sure you would love farina dumplings in your soup. They are so comforting and great tasting.
I LOVE farina and use it for a Greek baked dessert, (among other recipes, but that is the most requested). I love it just as a hot cereal!
I also add nutmeg to dumplings; it’s nice to see others doing it.
I am unfamiliar with “Vegeta”, though.I want to assume it is a condensed vegetable stock,…a bouillon or paste?
I also love parsnips; you just don’t see recipes around for them.Good work!
Hi Tonette, thanks for stopping by and commenting! 🙂 Vegeta is actually a spice that has been used for years in my homeland. I provided a link in my post, so you can read more about it if you’re interested. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Sibella
Thanks,Sibella. I always enjoy your posts. Since my father-in-law is Slovenian and Croatian, I am sure that side of the family is familiar with Vegeta;I will have to look into it.
I hope your day is wonderful, as well!
Also, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegeta_(food) for list of ingredients.
This looks so so good.
Thanks chef mimi, you should try these some time! 🙂
Yum! I love soup this time of year. This looks wonderful. 🙂
Thanks April! 🙂
Don’t know what happened to my comment so I’ll try again. The soup looks delicious but the dumplings are awe inspiring. Each is a perfect quenelle. Who would have thought that possible with Cream O’Wheat? On my must-try list when I get back home.
Thank you Darryl, you flatter me! 🙂 Once you try these, I am sure they will become a regular guest in your soups. Take care!
My mother used to cook with farina but I haven’t had it in years. Your dumplings and soup sound delicious.
Thank you Karen! This is one of my favorite soups, probably because it so reminds me of my childhood. 🙂
I’m so glad I found this reciepe, because my grandmother was born in Yogoslavia, she came to America when she was a young girl, I remember and watching her making chicken dumplings, she used farina. I can’t wait to make this. This will help me remember my grandmother and my mother. I’m so thrill that I found this reciepe!! Thank you so much!! :o)
Hola Sibella, I nominated you for an award, you have a delightful blog:
http://katyakitchen.com/2013/04/01/the-versatile-blogger-award/
Sibella, have you ever had farina cake? It’s my mom’s favorite and has a pineapple whipped cream frosting. I can’t eat it anymore because of the gluten and dairy, but if you’d like to try it, I’ll try to find the recipe and get it to you. It’s very unique. It’s kind of a refrigerated, dense, cake, extremely simple to make and so good! 🙂
April, I had a lot of farina cakes since they are very popular in Bosnia (where I grew up). I don’t think I’ve ever tried one with pineapple whipped cream frosting. If you can get the recipe for me, I would love to try it! 🙂 Thank you my friend!
I will get it to you sometime this week! 🙂
Sounds good. Thank you April!
Sibella, I will be trying this tonight! My husband loves soup!!!!! Can’t wait- he loved the grah! He gave it the thumbs up:-)
Awww I am so glad! 🙂 The soup is really easy and SO GOOD! I am sure he will like it just as much as grah! 😀
What is your name (if I may ask)?
Sorry for the add short hiatus! My name is Chep. I am from Kenya and my husband grew up in Banja Luka and we live in Michigan. I have been to Zagreb and hoping to go to BL soon! The soup turned out great!!!! If I keep following your recipes, he might not go to his mamas house very often. What Bosnian recipes do you have have for summer cooking? We tend to grill but it can get monotonous. Might you have a recipe for Bosanski Lonac or any goulash? That would be great!
So nice to meet you Chep. I went to college in Banja Luka and lived just about 1.5 hours away. It is a nice city to visit, I am sure you will find it interesting. I have many Bosnian recipes, just have to find time to post them all. Will do my best to help you out! 😀
Sibella! The pleasure is all mine. I love trying your recipes! I will be trying the bosnian cookies this week and I look forward to some more Bosnian recipes!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have been searching for a recipe for soup with farina dumplings (my mother called them klumpken) and the picture you posted is exactly what her soup looked like. Only thing she did different was to add some tiny beef meatballs. I am going to make these dumplings and this soup and I truly believe it will take my back to my childhood kitchen. i can’t thank you enough.
Awww Elaine, I am happy that you now will be able to make your childhood soup in your own kitchen. I’ve had this soup with tiny meatballs as well, and it was excellent! Stay in touch, I would love to know how did soup turn out for you! Much love! Sibella
Thank you Sibella. I will definitely let you know how it turns out. I plan to make it once the weather here gets nice and cold!!! Thanks again. All the best, Elaine