Thankfully, Ed had secured instructions for making what we call “Regawar” from our Grandma, Louise Marrinan. As I recall, the regawar were cut about 2.5 to 3 inches long and about 3/4 of an inch across at their fattest point. Here is the recipe as provided by Ed in his words:

I certainly am not the expert, but Rega Wargeln is another way of serving potatoes in Germany. My speculation is our way of serving leftover potatoes, simply became “Regawar.” There never was a recipe to my knowledge, but I obviously made the “noodles” on many occasions with the following instructions from Grandma.

Ingredients:
-Leftover mashed potatoes, or maybe about 4 medium potatoes
-2 tablespoons of flour+
-2 eggs
-1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste
-Butter
-Milk (optional)

Preparation:
Add the flour, eggs, salt and pepper, mix into a stiff dough. Add a little more flour, if necessary, to make the dough manageable. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Place dough on a floured board, and form into a “log.” Cut the log into pieces. Form each piece into a tapered cylinder by rolling between your hands. It should be thicker in the middle.

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Carefully add the noodles in a single layer and sauté on all sides until golden brown. Remove from pan, and serve warm with “pork and sauerkraut.”

Grandma always added a cup of “scalded milk” at the end, before serving. Your father, however, always seem to like “Regawar” with a “crispness” on the outside.

I started to “cheat” on the “scalded milk” as a result, and although Rega Wargeln apparently is fried in “lard,” Grandma always used plenty of butter in the frying and preparation.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

scant tsp. salt

1/4 cup shortening*

1 egg

milk, soy milk, or water

Fork together dry ingredients and the shortening like you would for a pie crust.  Make hollow in dry ingredients and shortening mixture. Drop in 1 egg in center and mix.  Add enough milk (water or plain soy milk also work) to reach desired consistency. Roll out on floured surface and cut into small squares with the back (blunt side) of a table knife.. Gently slip dumplings into boiling chicken broth and cook for about 15 minutes after all dumplings are immersed.

Broth: I place boneless skinless chicken thighs in a slow cooker with baby carrots and celery. Add water to partially immerse. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours or until you get home from wherever. I pour into large pot on stove and add 32 ounces chicken broth. Bring to a boil and drop in dumplings. I make 1 1/2 batches of dumplings for this amount of broth. Keep some extra broth on hand for reheating after refrigeration in case too much broth is absorbed.

*I’ve also used vegetable oil which results in a dumpling that is more like a noodle.