Classic Swedish Potato Dumplings with Mushroom Filling

First, let's get the potatoes ready. Peel about 10 medium potatoes and boil them in salted water until they are completely tender. Once cooked, drain them well and let them steam dry in the colander for a few minutes. This helps remove excess moisture.

While the potatoes are boiling, let's prepare the mushroom filling. Finely chop the button mushrooms, shallots, and garlic clove. Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the chopped shallots and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes until softened and fragrant.

Add the finely chopped button mushrooms to the pan along with the fresh thyme leaves. Cook everything together until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has evaporated, leaving you with a golden-brown mixture. Season generously with salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice. Set this flavorful filling aside to cool down completely.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, pass them through a potato ricer or mash them very smoothly. We need a fine, lump-free texture for the best dumplings. Let the mash cool down a bit more before adding the egg and flour.

To the cooled potato mash, add the whole egg, the two extra egg yolks, the sea salt, and the plain flour. Gently bring it all together to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Be careful not to overwork it, or the dumplings can become tough.

Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a long rope about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut the ropes into even pieces, around 3-4 cm (1.5 inches) long. This will be the base for your dumplings.

Take one piece of dough and flatten it into a small disc in the palm of your hand. Place a generous teaspoon of the cooled mushroom filling in the center. Carefully fold the dough around the filling, pinching it together to seal it completely, and then gently roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer—not a rolling boil. Carefully lower the dumplings into the water. They are ready when they float to the surface, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon.

While the dumplings cook, let's make the classic toppings. In a small saucepan, combine the defrosted lingonberries with the sugar. Warm them gently over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the berries just start to pop. Set aside.

For the final touch, melt the remaining 50g of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the wild mushrooms and fry them until they are golden and crisp. This will be your delicious buttery mushroom topping.

Serve the warm dumplings immediately. Top them generously with the fried wild mushrooms and a spoonful of the sweet-tart lingonberry sauce. For an extra traditional touch, you can also fry some breadcrumbs in butter to sprinkle on top!