e wine-covered hills, a cuisine unfolds that balances tradition and innovation at the highest level. Local ingredients such as Speck, Graukäse, chestnuts, and mountain herbs meet the finesse of Italian culinary art: homemade pasta, olive oil, and fine wines shape this rich gastronomic landscape.
Award-winning chefs and family-run taverns alike share a passion for quality, regional products, and creative flair. Whether in a rustic farmhouse dining room, on a sunny alpine hut terrace, or in a Michelin-starred restaurant – South Tyrolean cuisine captivates with honest ingredients, masterful preparation, and a fine sense for unforgettable moments of taste.
South Tyrol is not just a destination – it’s a culinary landscape that touches all the senses.
South Tyrolean Dumpling Trio à la Rebhof
Serves 4 people (3 dumplings per variety):
🟢 Spinach Dumplings
- 300 g fresh spinach leaves
- 150 g dumpling bread (stale white bread, cubed)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 50 ml milk
- 50 g ricotta
- 2 tbsp flour
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg
🔴 Beetroot Dumplings
- 150 g cooked beetroot, finely grated
- 150 g dumpling bread
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 50 g quark (Topfen)
- 2 tbsp flour
- Salt, pepper, a pinch of ground coriander
🟡 Cheese Dumplings
- 150 g strong mountain cheese (e.g. Graukäse), coarsely grated
- 150 g dumpling bread
- 2 eggs
- 50 ml milk
- 1 tbsp flour
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg
👩🍳 Preparation (for all varieties):
1. Base preparation:
Place the dumpling bread in a large bowl. Gently warm the milk and pour over the bread. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Let soak for approx. 15 minutes.
2. Spinach dumplings:
Blanch the spinach, squeeze out excess liquid, and chop finely. Sauté the onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add spinach and briefly cook together. Let cool slightly, then mix with ricotta, flour, and spices. Combine with the bread mixture.
3. Beetroot dumplings:
Sauté the onion in a bit of butter. Mix with grated beetroot, quark, flour, spices, and the soaked bread.
4. Cheese dumplings:
Mix the grated cheese, flour, and spices directly into the soaked bread base.
5. Shaping:
With wet hands, form evenly sized dumplings from each mixture.
6. Cooking:
Bring salted water to a gentle simmer (do not boil!). Gently drop the dumplings in batches and let them cook for 15–20 minutes, until they float to the surface.
🧈 Serving suggestion:
Arrange the dumplings on a plate, drizzle with melted butter, and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan.
They pair beautifully with a crisp green salad, a light tomato salad, or a classic caraway-seasoned coleslaw.