Dumplings are just balls of dough cooked in hot liquid. They are so easy to make, and can be created from any kind of fat, suet is not essential. A couple of things to remember however, when adding dumplings to a stew – first, they tend to expand as they cook, so when you drop them into the pan allow for this, otherwise you will create one big mass of dumplings that have stuck together and are acting as a pastry topping. Second, they tend to soak up the liquids in the pan, so make sure there is enough liquid in the pot.

You will need 4oz (125) plain flour 2½oz (60g) suet, butter or lard 1 tspn baking powder Salt and freshly ground black peppercorns to season Small amount of water or milk For filling – 2 dessert spoons cooked spinach and 2 dessert spoons cooked carrots Method Make the dough by placing flour, baking powder, baking powder and seasoning into bowl and add the water or milk a little at a time until you have formed a soft dough.

Cut dough into half and roll each half into a rectangle.

Spread one half with the spinach and the other with the carrots.

Roll each half as you would when creating a Swiss roll, cut the rolls into slices about half an inch thick with a sharp knife.

Place the slices into the pot of hot stew, carefully arranging them so that they look attractive. Allow enough space for them to expand.

Cover the pot with a lid, and cook at 150C or 300F without removing the lid for about 15 minutes.