Batzen

In the small city of Bolzano or Bozen to the German speakers...

At the Batzenhausl (Address:  Anreas Hoferstr, 30,  Bolzano, Italy) I enjoyed true comfort food: Austrian style.

But wait, I’m in Italy. How is this possible?

I was so unaware of the cultural essence of this Tyrol region of Italy before finding myself visiting this interesting region for 4 days, on a pure whim. 

According to Bolzano locals, this is the place to be for traditional pub fare, good brews, and friendly ambiance. All the while, I found myself nestled in the middle of this small city in a refurbished and modern eighteenth century home. This place, I was told, is the oldest continuously run restaurant in Bolzano.

They brew their own beer here too, the Batzen Braü selections are well known for their crisp and flavorful characters. I tried the Batzen Weisse- their wheat beer. Definitely cloudy, and very refreshing with some very pleasant floral notes… 

I was dining alone… (As I found out after a month of travelling, dining “toute seule” is not one of my favorite things to do- but essential if I was going to make sure I experienced local flavors. The corner pizza joint could only get me so far…) The waiter was very friendly, and helped me decipher the menu, which was all in German with Italian translations. My Italian, I discovered, was not that bad, but I definitely needing a helping hand if I was going to have any luck ordering at this place. After a lengthy conversation in my broken Italian and a few English words here and there, I placed a full order. Bad news is that I found the portions SO hefty (plus all the beer) that I could only get through the appetizer…

That’s okay! I’m glad I did, there’s plenty to share regarding this wonderful dish:

Semmelknödel

(or the Italian varation: Canederli)

are in broad terms, German and Austrian bread dumplings that also found in the North of Italy. These are made, like you’ve gathered, from bread, cheese, milk, eggs, and even potatoes. All are very inexpensive ingredients, but they can be garnished with other accent flavors like Speck (a type of cured beef) and other vegetables as shown below. 

Because of the hefty portions, I had mine as a main course, but they are usually a starter or an appropriate accompaniment to meat dishes. Sometimes, I heard, they can be made into soup form with a light broth. 

I can't begin to describe how delicious this knödel sampler was. Each round dumpling was flavored with different flavors and on a bed of creamy and zesty vegetable purées. My favorite one was the tan one to the far right. It was full of creamy cheese pieces (rolled into the bread, not as a filling) and on a bed of seasoned tomatoes.) A winning combination. Consequently, the red knödel was made with meaty pieces and on a bed of creamy horseradish. Very strong! 

Add some variation of coleslaw, beets, and you've got yourself some very powerful combinations. The knödel themselves are soft to bite into, and of a very solid consistency. They are not fried, so they're not greasy at all. Instead, I believe they are dunked and steamed in water or broth. 

Finally, no meal is complete with a basket of assorted breads. I had the bread in Bolzano on a few occasions, especially at my breakfast brunch every morning. They look like buns don't they? Ahh... but don't be fooled. These small breads are not soft and delicate. They're actually quite tough, but make a perfect accompaniment to sauces, savory ingredients like cured meats and cheese, and even butter and jam. The darker ones were my favorite. They were infused with fennel and other herbs. Perfect for scooping up some leftover knödel and sauce. 

Guten Appetit!