When I was growing up with a Hungarian mom, she used to make shishkales, which was a really special treat. Many years later, I learned that the Jewish world called them some variation of shlishkes, but the rest of the world called this delicacy gnocchi. Whatever you choose to call them, they are fabulous as a side dish, main dish or whatever. I have included a pareve version and a dairy version. Enjoy.

Dairy Shlishkes

2 cups flour

1 lb. farmer cheese

3-4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

½ cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons sugar

Combine first four ingredients. Form a rope. Cut into 1-inch pieces. In a six-quart pot, bring water to a boil. Drop in shlishkes. Cook 10 minutes. Rinse in cold water and drain. Melt oil.

Add crumbs and sugar. Toss heated shlishkes through.

Pareve Shlishkes

2 pounds Russet potatoes (about four medium), washed, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 large, beaten egg

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup plain bread crumbs

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and allow to cool a few minutes. Immediately rice or grate warm potatoes into a large bowl. Add beaten egg, salt and flour and mix together with a wooden spoon or by hand until thoroughly incorporated. Cover loosely and let stand 15 minutes.

Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven with salted water on the stove to boil while you form the dumplings. On a floured surface, take a portion of dough and roll it into a long pencil shape, about 3/4-inch thick. Cut 3/4-inch slices and drop into boiling water. When the dumplings rise to the surface, they have finished cooking. (If you like your dumplings a little chewier, continue to cook 2 minutes after they rise to the surface.) Remove them with a slotted spoon and place in a buttered bowl (I sometimes just spray it with Pam). Repeat with remaining dough.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and toast the bread crumbs. Drop the cooked and drained dumplings into the buttered bread crumbs, coating well. Serve immediately.

Gail Hochman has been a resident of Bergen County for over 30 years and has been blessed with many grandchildren.

By Gail Hochman