Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Potato dough: 600 g peeled floury potatoes, 150 g all-purpose flour, 1 large egg, 25 g melted unsalted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt.
- For shaping and cooking: Up to 20 g additional all-purpose flour, 3 liters water, and 1 teaspoon fine salt.
- Poppy seed coating: 75 g unsalted butter, 100 g finely ground poppy seeds, and 60 g powdered sugar.
- Plum compote: 500 g pitted plums, quartered; 50 g granulated sugar; 60 ml water; 15 ml lemon juice; and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- To finish: 10 g powdered sugar, for dusting.
Do This
- 1. Cut the potatoes into 4 cm chunks. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes until tender. Drain, steam-dry for 2 minutes, rice, and cool for 10 minutes.
- 2. Meanwhile, simmer all the compote ingredients together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 3. Gently combine the cooled potatoes, 150 g flour, egg, 25 g melted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a soft dough.
- 4. Using the extra flour sparingly, roll the dough into 2.5 cm-thick ropes. Cut into 3 cm pieces and roll into tapered, finger-shaped noodles.
- 5. Cook in two batches in gently simmering salted water. Once the noodles float, cook for 2 more minutes, then lift out and drain.
- 6. Melt 75 g butter over low heat. Warm the ground poppy seeds in it for 1 minute, remove from the heat, and stir in 60 g powdered sugar. Gently fold in the noodles.
- 7. Divide among warm plates, dust with the remaining 10 g powdered sugar, and serve with warm plum compote.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, comforting potato noodles: These Austrian favorites are tender and pillowy, with a delicate dough that is easy to shape by hand.
- A wonderfully nutty coating: Finely ground poppy seeds mingle with melted butter and sugar to coat every noodle.
- Just the right fruity contrast: Warm, lightly spiced plum compote balances the buttery sweetness.
- Simple ingredients, special results: No pasta machine or complicated equipment is needed.
Grocery List
- Produce: Approximately 750 g whole floury potatoes to yield 600 g peeled; approximately 550 g whole plums to yield 500 g pitted; 1 lemon.
- Dairy: 100 g unsalted butter; 1 large egg.
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, finely ground poppy seeds, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and fine salt.
Full Ingredients
For the Potato Dough
- 600 g peeled floury potatoes, such as Russet or Maris Piper, cut into 4 cm chunks
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, approximately 50 g without the shell, lightly beaten
- 25 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled until lukewarm
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, approximately 1.5 g
For Shaping and Cooking
- 20 g all-purpose flour, for dusting; use only as much as needed
- 3 liters water, for cooking the noodles
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, approximately 6 g, for the cooking water
For the Poppy Seed Coating
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 100 g finely ground poppy seeds, preferably freshly ground
- 60 g powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
For the Plum Compote
- 500 g ripe but firm plums, weighed after pitting, cut into quarters
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 60 ml water
- 15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
To Serve
- 10 g powdered sugar, for a light final dusting
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook and dry the potatoes
Put the peeled potato chunks in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, or until a knife slides through the centers without resistance. If necessary, continue simmering until completely tender.
Drain thoroughly, then return the potatoes to the empty pan over low heat for 2 minutes, shaking gently so excess moisture evaporates without browning them. Pass the hot potatoes through a potato ricer onto a large plate or tray. Spread them out and leave for 10 minutes, until no longer steaming and only lukewarm. If you do not have a ricer, mash thoroughly while hot; do not use a blender or food processor.
Step 2: Make the plum compote
While the potatoes cook, combine the quartered plums, granulated sugar, 60 ml water, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The plums should soften while retaining some shape, and their juices should become lightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. The compote will thicken a little as it stands.
Step 3: Mix a soft potato dough
Place the lukewarm riced potatoes in a large bowl. Add the 150 g flour, beaten egg, 25 g melted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix with a fork, then use your hands to bring everything together gently, stopping as soon as you have a cohesive dough.
The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, not wet or pourable. Avoid kneading it like bread dough: too much handling can make the noodles chewy. If it sticks heavily to your hands, work in the reserved dusting flour 1 teaspoon at a time, using no more than the allotted 20 g. Shape and cook the dough promptly rather than leaving it to rest.
Step 4: Shape the noodles
Lightly flour the work surface and divide the dough into four portions. Roll one portion at a time into a rope approximately 2.5 cm thick. Cut the rope into 3 cm pieces, then gently roll each piece between lightly floured palms into a noodle approximately 5 cm long, with a plump center and tapered ends.
Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a lightly floured tray. They do not need to be perfectly identical; a slightly rustic shape is part of their charm. Keep the flour coating light so the finished noodles remain delicate.
Step 5: Gently simmer the noodles
Bring 3 liters water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a wide pot, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, approximately 95°C (203°F). Add half the noodles, leaving enough room for them to move freely. Carefully loosen any that settle against the bottom with a slotted spoon.
Once the noodles rise to the surface, simmer for 2 more minutes; each batch will usually take about 4–5 minutes in total. The centers should be tender, with no floury taste. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and let the water drain away well. Transfer to a warm dish without piling them deeply, then repeat with the remaining noodles. Do not rinse.
Step 6: Prepare the buttery poppy seed coating
While the second batch cooks, melt the remaining 75 g butter in a large, wide skillet over low heat. Add the finely ground poppy seeds and stir for 1 minute, just until fragrant and evenly moistened. Keep the heat gentle: the butter should not brown, and the seeds should not scorch.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the 60 g powdered sugar. The mixture will look dark, moist, and softly crumbly rather than like a smooth sauce.
Step 7: Coat the noodles gently
Add the well-drained, warm noodles to the skillet. Use a flexible spatula or two large spoons to fold them gently through the poppy seed mixture until generously coated. Work carefully so the soft noodles stay intact, and scrape up the buttery seeds from the bottom of the pan.
If your skillet is not large enough, coat the noodles in two batches, using half the poppy seed mixture for each batch.
Step 8: Finish and serve warm
Divide the Mohnnudeln among four warm plates or shallow bowls. Sift the remaining 10 g powdered sugar lightly over the top. Spoon the warm plum compote alongside, rather than over every noodle, so the distinctive poppy seed coating stays visible. Serve immediately while the noodles are soft and the butter is glossy.
Pro Tips
- Choose floury potatoes: Russet or Maris Piper potatoes make a lighter dough than waxy varieties. Thorough drying is just as important as the variety.
- Grind the poppy seeds: Whole seeds will not give the same rich, cohesive coating. Use a poppy seed mill or pulse small batches in a clean spice grinder until finely sandy, stopping before they become a paste.
- Keep the dough lukewarm: Hot potatoes can start cooking the egg, while completely cold potatoes are harder to combine gently.
- Test one noodle first: If it breaks apart in the water, gently incorporate 1 teaspoon of the reserved flour into the remaining dough and try again. Also check that the water is simmering, not boiling vigorously.
- Drain without drying out: Let excess water drip away before coating, but do not leave the cooked noodles sitting uncovered for long.
Variations
- Apple compote: Replace the plums with 500 g peeled, cored apples cut into 1.5 cm cubes. Use 30 g granulated sugar instead of 50 g and keep the remaining compote ingredients unchanged. Simmer for 15 minutes, until tender.
- Lemon-scented poppy seeds: Stir 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest into the poppy seed coating after removing the skillet from the heat for a brighter finish.
- Less sweet at the table: Omit the final 10 g powdered sugar dusting. The sugar in the coating and compote still provides plenty of sweetness.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Make ahead: Prepare the plum compote up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate in a covered container at 4°C (40°F) or below. Reheat gently before serving. The potato dough is best mixed, shaped, and cooked in one session; avoid storing it raw in the refrigerator, where it can become sticky and discolored.
Refrigerate leftovers: Cool and refrigerate the noodles within 2 hours of cooking. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, ideally separate from the compote. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with 15 ml water and 5 g butter per serving until the noodles reach 74°C (165°F) throughout. Fold rather than stir vigorously.
Freeze for later: Freeze uncooked, shaped noodles in a single layer on a flour-dusted tray until firm, about 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen in gently simmering water; allow approximately 6–7 minutes total, including 2 minutes after they float, and check one for a fully cooked center before draining.
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimated for one-quarter of the recipe, including the plum compote and finishing sugar. Sodium varies with salt absorbed from the cooking water.
Calories: 780 kcal | Carbs: 136g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 45g | Sodium: 240mg | Cholesterol: 100mg
