Vepřo Knedlo Zelo

Roast pork

• skin-on pork shoulder1½ kg
• caraway seeds2 tsp
• garlic cloves5
• onions2
• lard30 g
• salt2 tsp
• water500 ml

Bread dumplings

• plain flour500 g
• dried yeast7 g
• milk250 ml
• eggs1
• stale white bread150 g
• salt

Cabbage

• sauerkraut600 g
• onions1
• caster sugar2 tbsp
• white wine vinegar1 tbsp
• caraway seeds1 tsp
• plain flour1 tbsp

Roast pork

1. 01

   Score the pork skin in a 1 cm diamond pattern and crush the garlic. Rub the pork with the salt, garlic and caraway seeds, pushing them into the scored skin, and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.

2. 02

   Heat the oven to 180°C. Slice the onions and spread them in a roasting tin, put the pork on top with the lard, and add 250 ml of the water.

3. 03

   Roast for 2 to 2½ hours, basting and adding more of the water as needed, until very tender and the juices run clear. Turn the oven up to 230°C for the last 15 minutes to crisp the skin.

4. 04

   Rest the pork for 15 minutes, then scrape up the tin juices with a little of the remaining water and simmer into a thin gravy.

Dumplings

5. 05

   While the pork roasts, cut the stale white bread into 1 cm cubes and dry them in the oven for 10 minutes. Warm the milk until lukewarm, then mix the flour, yeast, milk, egg and 1 teaspoon of salt into a smooth, firm dough, and knead in the bread cubes.

6. 06

   Shape into two logs about 6 cm thick and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

7. 07

   Simmer in a large pot of salted water for 20 minutes, turning halfway. Pierce each at once with a skewer to let the steam out, then slice with thread.

Cabbage

8. 08

   While the dumplings rise, finely chop the onion and fry it in a spoonful of fat skimmed from the roasting tin until soft, then add the sauerkraut, caraway seeds and a splash of the remaining water, and braise for 30 minutes.

9. 09

   Sprinkle in the flour, stir, and add the sugar and vinegar. Cook 5 minutes until thick and balanced between sweet and sour.

10. 10

    Serve slices of pork with dumplings and cabbage, with gravy over the meat and dumplings.