Pelmeni are dumplings of Russian cuisine that consist of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough. They are considered to be a national dish. The dough is made from flour and water, sometimes adding a small portion of eggs. Pelmeni can be served in several ways; for example, they can be cooked in stock, or they can be cooked consommé and served in a bowl with soup.
Ingredients For The Pelmeni Dough
- 1 large egg
- 100 ml of water
- 100 ml of milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 400-500 gram of plain flour
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
Ingredients For The Beef Filling
- 1 kg of fatty beef cut
- 4 medium onions
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp of salt
- 1 tbsp of pepper
- 2 Bay leaves Butter
- Beef or Vegetable Stock
Directions
1. Add flour into your stand mixer.
2: Whisk together eggs, water, milk, oil and salt in a glass or a jug.
3: Combine your wet mixture with dry and keep adding in small amounts until your dough comes together. Knead the dough in your mixer for 5-8 minutes.
4: Add flour to your flat surface, and then knead the dough by hand for another 3 minutes.
5: Cover the dough with cling film and place in the fridge and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
6: To make the filling, add your onions, garlic, and splash of water into the food processor. Blitz everything together until you get a nice smooth mass. You can also do this by hand with a grater!
7: In a large bowl, add minced beef, salt and pepper, and your onion-garlic mixture. Mix everything together really really well.
8: Roll dough out on a floured work surface into a large circle or rectangle, to about the thickness of pasta sheets. Make sure you add four constantly onto the surface, dough and your rolling pin, as the dough will be sticky.
9: Use a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter and cut as many circles as possible. Place 1 teaspoon of filling onto each circle.
10: Flour hands well and shapes pelmeni by pinching together the seams, forming a semi-circle then bringing the two edges together. Place prepared pelmeni onto a floured board until ready to cook. Use all the scraps of dough and roll out again. You can also use a dumpling mold to make pelmeni. Just use one sheet of rolled dough onto your mold, add the filling and then add the second sheet and roll until the pelmeni starts to fall out.
11: If you want to freeze them for later, just place the floured board into the freezer for 30 min and then in a plastic bag. Pelmeni will last up to 6 months in the freezer.
12: To cook pelmeni, heat a large pot of vegetable stock, add salt, peppercorn and bay leaves. Cook pelmeni in small batches for about 8 minutes. Once they rise to the top, they are pretty much done. Remove with a slotted spoon into the bowl. Add butter if you wish, mix well and serve with sour cream!
To make these yummy dishes you will need to do the following:
Step 1: Boil water with 1 cube of beef/pork/chicken stock, add 1 bay leaf.
Step 2: Place pelmeni into hot water, and let them cook for 5-7 min. Make sure you don’t overcook them, or they will become soggy.
Step 3: Serve with hot soup, sour cream, and dill.
Pelmeni can be served as a main dish for lunch or dinner, either smothered in butter or prepared Siberian-style, which involves sprinkling them with vinegar and adding freshly ground pepper for extra flavor. The filling can be minced meat (pork, lamb, beef, fish or any other kind of meat, venison being particularly traditional for colder regions) or mushrooms, or a combination of the two.
Image: Momo
