It is a ‘rejuvenating’ recipe - very ancient and typically rustic - long before the genius Bottura founded a kitchen on this philosophy and opened Refettori here and for the world to enjoy. The dear old canederli unite all the Central European regions, from Poland to Northern Italy, where reusing stale bread has led to large canederli being kneaded with the most diverse of ingredients. If in Germany, there is no land or big city that doesn’t boast its own knodel. In Italy, despite being able to find gnocchi in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (gnochi de pan), in the Belluno area as well as in Alta Valtellina and the so-called balotes in the Ladin valleys, the birthplace of this dish is actually Trentino-Alto Adige.
They are also black and green
The recipe? Uncoded. Let's say the basis for the dough is bread, milk and eggs. Then come the diced bacon (fried), chives or cheese and parsley. Many people add some flour but it’s not obligatory, and some prefer salami or bacon instead of speck. Two colored variations are black (using rye bread) or green (with spinach). For many Tyroleans, the best is the one with liver and a little lard, to go with sauerkraut or even a good stew. Whatever the combination, the shape of the "balls" is about 4-6 cm in diameter, which are then cooked in salted water. They are served with the cooking stock (mainly in Alto Adige) or dry (mostly in Trentino) but with plenty of melted butter.
Creative fantasies
The concept of canederlo basically lends itself to a thousand possibilities, but its strong regional and rural undercurrent has stimulated the great chefs rather little. It’s easy to get many combinations, like the Canederli di baccalà e borragine alle erbe, polenta and saffron sauce, pepper pistils and katzuobushi (Claudio Sadler) or the Canederli di gamberi, consommé di porcini, speck croccante e limone (Felice Lo Basso) or the Canederli di patate ripieni di stracchino, con burro di malga, tartufo e Parmigiano croccante (Leandro Luppi). Then, if someone truly Trentino like Alfio Ghezzi - chef of the multiple Michelin starred Locanda Margon - produces Canederlo di fregula, burnt pasta soup, livers and S. Massenza broccoli nothing is sacred anymore...
More respectful are the South Tyrolean masters: Pressed canederli with cabbage salad (Karl Baumgartner, Schoneck), chard or red turnip dumplings (Günther Niederkofler- Christoph Stolzlechner, Alpenschlössl) or the surprising Soufflé of cheese canederli on creamed spinach, deconstructed by Herbert Hintner (Zur Rose) who has a real passion for sweet canederli, elaborated in several recipes.
Places not to be missed
Entertaining chefs aside, here are the best addresses to enjoy canederli, in their extremist vision, where it is difficult to spend more than 35 euros per person, enjoying a taste of the territory in their right portions. And in farmhouses you can also stay for below 30 euros.
In Trentino
Costa Salici in Cavalese, Osteria della Locanda Fiore in Comano Terme, the excellent Locanda delle Tre Chiavi in Isera, Fuciade in Soraga, La Cantinetta in Varena while in the capital we recommend Rosa d'Oro and Osteria del Pettirosso in Rovereto.
In South Tyrol
Schwarzer Adler in Andriano, Runch Hof and Sotciastel in Badia, Oberraut in Brunico, Seiterhof in Dobbiaco, Alter Fausthof in Novale, Oberlechner and Schnalshuberhof in Lagundo, Sonne in Lauregno, Locanda Alpina Dorfner in Bassa Atesina, Niedirsthof in Perca, the excellent Jagerhof and Lamm Mitterwirt in Val Passiria (the first in San Leonardo, the second in San Martino), Signaterhof in Renon, Lerchner's in San Lorenzo di Sebato, Falschauerhof in Ultimo.
In Bolzano
Batzen Hausl (with great craft beer) and the timeless Cavallino Bianco, which this year celebrates its 60th birthday, well deserved.