Dorothy Morgan's Chicken & Dumpling Recipe

1 stewing hen, about 5 lbs.
Water
1 carrot, cut in thick slices
1 stalk celery, cut in thick slices
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
4 1/2 c flour, divided
1/2 c water
4 T softened butter or chicken fat
3 whole eggs

Place hen in large stewing pot or kettle. Add 10 cups water, carrot, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skim off froth and simmer over medium heat 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove hen and let cool. Strain broth and add more water to bring liquid quantity to 10 cups again. Set aside.

Bone hen and place large chunks of chicken in a heavy casserole. Discard skin and bones. In large saucepan bring five cups of the broth to a boil. Mix 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water; shake or stir vigorously until there are no lumps. Pour flour mixture into boiling broth, stirring constantly with whisk, until gravy is thickened and smooth. Pour over chicken in casserole.

In large bowl, combine remaining four cups flour, butter or chicken fat, the eggs and about one cup water. Mix with hands, adding more water if necessary, to make stiff dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface; roll out to rectangle 1/4-to-1/8-inch thick. Cut in 1x2-inch rectangles.

Meanwhile, in large saucepan, bring remaining five cups broth to a boil. Drop the dough rectangles, a dozen or so at a time, into simmering broth.
When dough puffs up slightly and rises to surface(after about 5 minutes), remove dough with slotted spoon and add to chicken and gravy in casserole. Repeat process until a sufficient amount of dumplings has been made. Heat casserole until chicken and dumplings are heated through and gravy is bubbling.