Cut the bread into 1 cm cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. Warm the milk until just steaming, then pour it over the bread and let it soak for 10 minutes, stirring once.

Melt 20 g butter in a 24 cm / 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent.

Add the diced speck to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the edges start to crisp. Remove from heat.

Add the eggs, flour, chives, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the soaked bread, along with the speck and onion mixture. Mix by hand until everything holds together in a sticky, cohesive mass.

If the mixture feels loose or wet, add more flour a tablespoon at a time. If it feels dry and crumbly, add a splash more milk.

Cover the bowl and rest the mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes. This lets the bread fully absorb the liquid, the biggest reason dumplings hold together or fall apart.

Bring a 4-quart / 3.8 L pot of salted water or broth to a gentle simmer, around 90 C / 194 F, not a rolling boil.

With wet hands, shape the mixture into balls about 6 cm / 2.5 inches across. You should get 12 to 14 dumplings.

Drop one test dumpling into the simmering liquid and cook for 15 to 18 minutes. If it falls apart, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour into the remaining batch before shaping the rest.

Cook the remaining dumplings in two batches so they have room to float freely. Simmer 15 to 18 minutes per batch until they rise to the surface and hold together when cut in half.

Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly.

Melt the remaining 40 g butter in a 16 cm / 6-inch saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide the canederli allo Speck among bowls, spoon the browned butter over top, and scatter with extra chives and grated Parmesan if using. Serve warm.