Csipetke

Csipetke are small Hungarian dumplings or pasta formed by pinching off tiny pieces of dough. The name comes from csipet, meaning pinch, a reference to the shaping method.

The dough is typically made from flour, eggs, salt, and water. Some regional recipes use only flour and water. The dough is relatively stiff so the pieces keep their shape when dropped into boiling liquid.

To cook, the morsels are dropped into salted boiling water or added directly to a simmering soup or stew. They cook quickly and float to the surface when ready.

Csipetke are a traditional accompaniment in Hungarian cuisine, commonly serving with meat dishes such as pörkölt or gulyás, where they absorb the sauce, or in hearty soups as a filling component.

They are distinct from nokedli (spaetzle-like dumplings) in that csipetke are much smaller and pinched rather than extruded or cut.

Regionally, csipetke are associated with Hungary and Hungarian communities in Transylvania (Romania), Slovakia, and parts of the Balkans, where the dish appears in home cooking and traditional menus.