Method
Dough
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Pulse and in a food processor. With the motor running, add through the feed tube, then , and let it run about a minute.
the dough gathers into a ball around the blade -
Tip the dough into a bowl, cover with a tea towel and rest while you make the filling.
soft and relaxed, not springySafe to pause here
Filling
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Put and in a large bowl with and .
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Blend , , , and in the food processor to a loose green purée. Add it to the meat.
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Work the filling with your hands until it is evenly mixed and slightly sticky.
no streaks of plain meatthe mixture holds together when squeezed -
Pinch off a small piece, flatten it and fry it in a hot pan until cooked through. Taste and add more salt or pepper to the filling if it needs it.
it should taste a little more seasoned than you would want a meatball
Shaping and Cooking
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Cut the dough into quarters and shape each into a ball. Keep three covered while you work with the first.
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On a well floured surface, roll one ball into a thin sheet about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) thick.
you can almost see the work surface through the dough -
Cut out rounds with a 5 cm (2 in) to 7 cm (2 ¾ in) cutter. Gather the scraps, wrap them and re-roll them with the next ball.
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Put a teaspoon of filling slightly off centre on each round, fold over into a half moon and pinch the edge firmly shut. For a prettier edge, go round once more, pinching and twisting into a rope.
no filling escaping at the seam -
Bring the two pointed corners together around your fingertip and press them so each dumpling forms a round little ear. Set them on a floured tray, not touching. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling to make 120 pelmeni.
Freeze any you are not cooking now on the tray, then bag them. -
Bring to a rolling boil with and . Drop in the pelmeni in batches and stir straight away so they do not stick to the bottom. Once they float, cook more.
100 °Cthe pelmeni float and look plumpthe dough is translucent at the edges -
Lift them out with a slotted spoon, pour over and toss gently. Serve hot with , and a little for dipping.
From Nadia Kim
The filling gets a purée of onion, garlic and fresh herbs blended with water, which steams inside each dumpling and keeps it juicy. Frying a tiny test patty before you start folding is the one step that guarantees the seasoning is right. A batch makes well over a hundred, so most of them go straight into the freezer for fast dinners.
Notes
- Meat: an equal mix of pork and beef is the classic Siberian filling. Lean mince works because the herb water keeps it moist; with fattier mince, cut the water back a little.
- Rolling: keep the dough very thin, about 1.5 mm, and keep the pieces you are not working with covered so they do not dry out.
- Shaping: fold each round into a half moon over the filling, pinch it shut, then bring the two corners together and press them so the dumpling looks like a little ear.
- Serving: melted butter, sour cream and dill are standard. Many Siberian families also put out a small bowl of vinegar, or a mix of vinegar and black pepper, for dipping.
Storage
Cooked pelmeni keep 2 days in the fridge; reheat by frying in butter until golden.
Make Ahead
Freeze uncooked pelmeni in a single layer on a well floured tray, then pack into floured airtight bags. They keep 3 months. Boil straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes.
When to Start
Plan backwards from a time
Filed under Main · Eastern Europe › Russia · Pork · Dumplings · Pasta Making · Pelmeni. Tags: #freezer friendly, #make-ahead, #weekend project.