Dumplings are a food that consists of small pieces of dough either wrapped around a filling (as in
ravioli or
wontons) or incorporating other ingredients (as in
gnocchi). The dough can be based on
bread,
flour, or
potatoes, and may be filled with
fish,
meat,
sweets, or
vegetables. They may be cooked by
boiling,
frying,
simmering, or
steaming. Dumplings may be savoury or sweet and can be eaten by themselves, with
gravy or
sauce, or in
soups or
stews.