Hungarian Goulash

After trying Fiakergulasch for the first time in Vienna, goulash was something I wanted to make at home.
The history of goulash has it starting as a herdsman's dish in Hungry. Over time it has evolved into a restaurant dish, somewhere between a stew and a soup.
There seems to be many different variants on how to make an authentic goulash, a little bit like an authentic bolognese sauce. For my first attempt, I am basing my goulash on June Meyer's recipe:

• 50g butter (or lard)
• 1L water
• 1 kg beef cubes (2-3 cm)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• pepper & salt
• sour cream to serve

For the dumplings, you need:

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup flour
• pinch of salt

In a large pot, melt the butter and cook the onions until browned.
Add in the beef, paprika and a teaspoon of salt. On a low heat, simmer the beef in its juices for about an hour. This forms a rich sauce that is the main flavour of the final dish.
Add in the water, bay leaf and a bit more salt. Add in some black pepper to taste. Bring back to the boil, cover and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through and the meat is tender. Around 30-45 minutes.
While the goulash is simmering, make the egg dumplings.
Combine the flour, an egg and a pinch of salt into a dough. Stand the dough for half an hour.
When the dough has settled, make small dumpling balls and drop into the goulash. Once the dumplings start to float, cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream and enjoy.