As a student, I used to live with a girl from Merano, Alto Adige: two Italians abroad, both from the mountains — one from those of Piemonte, the other from the Dolomites — we had a lot of things in common, including a genetic love for the snow and trekking at high altitude, and a penchant for heavy, homemade liquors. Her brother used to make a fantastic berry grappa. But I’m digressing. 

The point is that she was the one who introduced me to what became a favorite dish of mine, canederli. Also known as knödel or dumplings, they are traditional from the region of Alto Adige, as well as other areas of Central and Eastern Europe, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic (where they are known as knedliky), and Slovakia. They are also a common dish in the mountains of Veneto and Friuli, where they may also be referred to as chineghi or balotes, meaning “big balls.”