Recipes

This recipe was taught to me by my mom and grandmother when I was a young child, and now I would like to pass it on to my children, and anyone who has ever enjoyed Pelmeni.  

Pelmeni are traditional Russian meat-filled dumplings. Making pelmeni is a favorite family pastime during the long winter months. These dumplings are a common staple food in eastern Europe. Large batches can either be frozen or quickly boiled or fried.

Serves: 8 people

Ingredients

Dough:

1 egg

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup warm water

3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

18 ounces ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 ½ tablespoons ice-cold water

1 tablespoon coarse salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine egg, vegetable oil, and salt in a measuring cup
2. add enough water to fill to 1 cup
3. Pour mixture into a bowl, add 3 cups flour, and knead into a smooth, elastic dough
4. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes
5. Dust a baking sheet lightly with 1 tablespoon flour
6. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion, water, salt and pepper thoroughly by hand or with a fork
7. Roll out a portion of the dough very thinly on a lightly floured surface and cut out 2 1/2-inch rounds with a cookie cutter or a wine glass. Keep the rest of the dough covered with a towel to avoid it drying out.
8. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of filling on one side of the dough circle, then fold dough over and seal the edges using fingers, forming a crescent. Join the ends and pinch them together.
9. Place Pelmeni on the prepared baking sheet to prevent them from sticking together.
   Repeat this process with remaining dough and filling.
10. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer and drop small batches of pelmeni into the simmering water.
11. Simmer and stir until the meat is cooked - approximately 10 minutes. The pelmeni will float to the top after 5 minutes; however, continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
12. Transfer to serving plates using a slotted spoon.

Enjoy with sour cream, ketchup, mayonnaise or hot sauce.

As an alternative, they can be frozen and eaten at a later time.