Little Sparrow Pea Soup

In Eastern Europe these clear soups are a very big deal. And it’s no wonder – they are filling, warming and utterly satisfying. The playful little gnarled dumplings are a real winner with children – in Hungary they are called Knockerdli, and in Germany they are Spaetzle or “little sparrows”. I make them by running a thick batter through a colander into the boiling soup, which adds a fun element of theatre to the homeliest of dishes.