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Pelmeni
Пельмени: Siberian pork and beef dumplings with thin dough, served with sour cream
In Siberian villages whole families sat round the table before the long winter to fold hundreds of pelmeni, then froze them in sacks outside where the frost kept them for months. Today every Russian freezer holds a bag, and a bowl with butter and sour cream is a quick supper from Novosibirsk to Moscow. The little ear-shaped dumplings have a thin, springy dough wrapped round a juicy filling of pork and beef with onion; it contains pork. Unlike Ukrainian varenyky, they are always meat-filled and boiled in seasoned water or broth. The classic mistake is rolling the dough too thick, which leaves you chewing flour instead of tasting the filling; aim for 1–2 mm. Chef's tip: work a few spoons of ice-cold water into the mince; it turns to juice inside the dumpling as it cooks.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
To cook and serve
Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Mix 16 oz plain flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Beat 1 egg with ¾ cup cold water and 1 tbsp sunflower oil, pour it in and stir into a shaggy dough.
Step 2: Knead on the worktop for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and firm, a little stiffer than bread dough. Wrap and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes so it rolls out thin without shrinking back.
10 minStep 3: Meanwhile, mix 10 ½ oz beef mince, 10 ½ oz pork mince, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper in a bowl. Beat in ¼ cup ice-cold water a little at a time with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes, until the mince is soft and sticky. Keep it in the fridge until you fill the dumplings.
Step 4: Cut the dough into 4 pieces and keep the rest covered. Roll one piece out on a floured surface to 1–2 mm thick; you should almost see the worktop through it. Cut out rounds with a 5–6 cm cutter or glass.
Step 5: Put half a teaspoon of filling in the middle of each round. Fold in half to a half-moon and pinch the edges firmly shut, then bring the two corners together round your finger and press them to make the ear shape. Set them on a floured tray, not touching. Wash your hands after handling raw mince.
Step 6: Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling; re-roll the offcuts once. You should get about 90 pelmeni. To freeze, put the tray in the freezer for 1 hour, then tip them into a bag; they keep for 3 months and cook from frozen.
Step 7: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil with 2 bay leaves and 1 tbsp salt. Drop in about 30 pelmeni at a time and stir gently once so none stick to the bottom.
2 minStep 8: When they float, cook for 4–5 minutes more (7–8 minutes from frozen). Cut one open: the filling should be grey-brown all through with no pink, and reach 160°F on a thermometer.
5 minStep 9: Lift them out with a slotted spoon into a warm bowl and toss with a little of 1 oz butter. Cook the rest the same way.
Step 10: Serve hot with 7 oz sour cream and a sprinkle of ⅓ oz fresh dill. Some families also splash on a little vinegar or serve the pelmeni in a ladle of their cooking broth.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pelmeni take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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