Pelmeni are a staple in Russian cuisine. Almost every country has a dumpling filled with meat in its repertoire – pierogi, ravioli, tortellini, wontons, etc. The dumplings with meat filling are tiny morsels that are a perfect mouthful. We usually make a HUGE batch and store them in the freezer to have on hand for a quick dinner option. In Russia, one of the most famous types of pelmeni are the Siberian pelmeni. It is said that the women would make large amounts of pelmeni and take them outside in the winter, where they would freeze quickly and be stored for many warm dinners in the cozy izba (cabin). Usually, they are boiled in water, but they can also be sauteed in a small amout of butter or oil. Traditionally, the dough is made from water, flour, egg and salt and the filling is ground meat, salt, pepper and onions. Although I love this version and it’s the one I grew up eating and making with my Mama, I am offering another version that you may like to try.

The dough is an absolute dream to work with. I don’t even use any extra flour to roll it out, it doesn’t stick to my hands and is soft and pliable. The texture of the pelmeni is very tender too. For the filling, I borrowed a technique from the Chinese potstickers by adding very finely shredded napa cabbage. This cabbage is much softer than the regular cabbage, which ensures that it will cook through and since it tastes much more mild, the cabbage doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the meat filling. The addition of the cabbage makes the filling extremely soft and juicy, not balled up into a hard, dense knob in the center of the dough. This recipe will give you 150-200 pelmeni. You can easily halve it and make less. With a little butter and sour cream, this is the ultimate comfort food for many Russians.

Yields: 150-200 pelmeni

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 cups of water

2 sticks of butter

1 tsp of salt

2 eggs

6 cups of flour

Meat Filling:

2 1/2 lbs of ground meat, I prefer pork

2 onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 Tablespoons butter

1 head napa cabbage, finely chopped (about 4 cups)

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoon pepper

6 Tablespoons of water

Pelmeni Dough:

In a medium pot, bring the water and butter to a boil. Add the salt and two cups of flour all at once.  Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon. Take off the heat, cool slightly and add the eggs.  Add the remaining four cups of flour. Mix until combined.

You can use a standing mixer, hand mixer or your hands. It’s very easy to work with. Cover, and set aside, letting the dough rest for about 20 minutes. 

Meat Filling:

Melt butter in a skillet. Add the onions and cook for about 5-7 min, until tender and starting to turn slightly golden. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

Another option is to finely grate the onion or process it with the water in the food processor until it looks like slush. If I use raw onions, I don’t use as much, just because the onion will overpower the meat and I also don’t add any fresh garlic. 

Cooking the onion and garlic mellows out their flavor and adds a sweet note to the onions, not harsh.

Add to the ground meat.

This is napa cabbage, also called Chinese cabbage. You will find it in the grocery store next to the regular cabbage. If you can’t find it, you can easily omit it, just add double the amount of water to the meat. You can use regular cabbage ONLY if you cook it first.  Add the cabbage. It should be cut very finely.  Add the salt, pepper and water and mix to combine.

Assembling the Pelmeni:

Roll out the dough into a thin sheet. Cut out 3 inch circles, using a biscuit cutter or a cup. Place 1 heaping Tablespoon of meat in the center.  Fold it in half. Pinch the edges together, making sure not to have any air remain. If there is air in the dumpling, it will burst when you cook it.  Take hold of the corners and pinch them together.  To store in the freezer, sprinkle flour on a wooden board and arrange pelmeni in a single layer on top of the flour.  Place in the freezer for 20-30 min, until the pelmeni are hard. Transfer the pelmeni in a ziptop bag and store in the freezer.

To cook, add 1 bay leaf, 3-5 peppercorns to a pot of water. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Add the pelmeni, (no need to thaw) and cook just until the pelmeni float to the top, about 5 min. Make sure not to overcook them. This dough is very tender and cooks REALLY fast.  Serve with butter, sour cream, vinegar, fresh herbs, etc. Russians like to top it with crispy bacon bits and diced onions, cooked in a skillet until golden brown. Another great recipe for pelmeni dough that I loved can be found at Natasha’s Kitchen. Natasha’s Pelmeni Dough.

Pelmeni

 

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Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 150-200 pelmeni

Ingredients

Dough:

• 2 cups of water
• 2 sticks of butter
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 eggs
• 6 cups of flour

Meat Filling:

• 2½ lbs of ground meat, I prefer pork
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1½ Tablespoons butter
• 1 head napa cabbage, finely chopped (about 4 cups)
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoon pepper
• 6 Tablespoons of water

Instructions

Pelmeni Dough:

1. In a medium pot, bring the water and butter to a boil.
2. Add the salt and two cups of flour all at once.
3. Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon.
4. Take off the heat, cool slightly and add the eggs.
5. Add the remaining four cups of flour.
6. Mix until combined.
7. Cover, and set aside, letting the dough rest for about 20 minutes.

Meat Filling:

1. Melt butter in a skillet. Add the onions and cook for about 5-7 min, until tender and starting to turn slightly golden.
2. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add to the ground meat.
4. Add the cabbage. It should be cut very finely.
5. Add the salt, pepper and water and mix to combine.

Assembling the Pelmeni:

1. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet.
2. Cut out 3 inch circles, using a biscuit cutter or a cup.
3. Place 1 heaping Tablespoon of meat in the center. Fold it in half.
4. Pinch the edges together, making sure not to have any air remain.
5. Take hold of the corners and pinch them together.

Freezer Storage:

1. Sprinkle flour on a wooden board and arrange pelmeni in a single layer on top of the flour.
2. Place in the freezer for 20-30 min, until the pelmeni are hard.
3. Transfer the pelmeni in a ziptop bag and store in the freezer.

To cook:

1. Add 1 bay leaf, 3-5 peppercorns to a pot of water. Season with salt and bring to a boil.
2. Add the pelmeni, (no need to thaw) and cook just until the pelmeni float to the top, about 5 min. Make sure not to overcook them.
3. Serve with butter, sour cream, vinegar, fresh herbs, etc.

3.1.09

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