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The day has arrived. Today is pelmeni (Russian dumplings) day. Follow this thread as I try to make them for the first time.
First, a couple of caveats.
1) Russia is a big place, the Soviet Union was an even bigger one, and the diaspora of both is all over the world. Which is to say, there are a lot of takes on pelmeni and they are wonderful.
2) I am not the authority on any of them.
1) Russia is a big place, the Soviet Union was an even bigger one, and the diaspora of both is all over the world. Which is to say, there are a lot of takes on pelmeni and they are wonderful.
2) I am not the authority on any of them.
3) My exposure to pelmeni is from Belarus, my Babushka's kitchen in Israel, and my mother's kitchen in America. These pelmeni were, uh, aggressively not kosher.
4) I keep kosher today, so what you will see is my take in accordance with the dietary restrictions of kashrut.
4) I keep kosher today, so what you will see is my take in accordance with the dietary restrictions of kashrut.
5) I am doing this all by hand, and I don't expect these to look professional. Cut me some slack it's Novi God!
With that out of the way, we begin by making the dough.
Now pelmeni have a very unique dough texture and the reason for that is that in many versions the dough is made with milk.
To modify for kashrut I am using water, beef fat, and a dash of sugar.
To modify for kashrut I am using water, beef fat, and a dash of sugar.
Mix the egg and dry ingredients then slowly mix in the schmaltz (fat) with the water. Work the dough by hand.
My partner decided some dramatic slow motion of me doing this is what I meant by "take a picture" so here you go.
My partner decided some dramatic slow motion of me doing this is what I meant by "take a picture" so here you go.
Mix the dough until it's one texture. I found I needed to add more water to get to what I had in mind, which is this.
Tightly wrap up the dough and let it rest for the next 45-60 minutes.
We're going to focus on the filling now!
We're going to focus on the filling now!
The filling I am using this time will be a simple one of ground beef, onion, and pepper.
I assume most Soviets blended the onion in with a grater. I am a decadent American, and so use my food processor to get to the desired consistency.
Yolka cameo to honor the ancestors
I assume most Soviets blended the onion in with a grater. I am a decadent American, and so use my food processor to get to the desired consistency.
Yolka cameo to honor the ancestors
Once the onion is basically a paste mix it with beef and pepper.
Now this part is super *not* intuitive to me. My experience with doughs/pasta you boil is that it's basically a quick dip when made fresh. But every pelmeni recipe I found and every relative I spoke to confirmed that they put in the filling raw and boil until the meat is cooked.
Out of respect for tradition, I will do this as well for Novi God.
But in the future as I tinker with the pelmeni recipe I intend to test browning the meat in small balls, letting it cool, and then filling/boiling for a shorter period.
But in the future as I tinker with the pelmeni recipe I intend to test browning the meat in small balls, letting it cool, and then filling/boiling for a shorter period.
Fill a big ol' pot with water. Add salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
With your dough hydrated and your filling ready, it's time to assemble! Roll out the dough in portions, taking care to keep the rest sealed so it does not dry out. Cut out circles using something circular. I used a cup.
Using a spoon, place filling into circular dough. Little water on the sealing edge. Wrap. Then pull the edges backwards, similar to tortellini.
Sidenote: doing this by hand is taking more time than anticipated. I turned off the heat for the water and I am assembling these pelmeni on a rack with plastic wrap in the fridge to keep them from drying out as I make the rest.
When all your pelmeni are ready put them into the boiling water. I'm doing it in batches. They sink when you put them in, as shown here. In about 7 minutes they'll all rise and should be ready.
Several minutes later and voila, all the pelmeni have risen to the surface.
Plate up the pelmeni. They're typically eaten with smetana (sour cream). The version you see here is tofutti vegan sour cream, which is honestly pretty solid. Some chopped dill for greenery, and you have lovely meal.
С Новым Годом! Happy New Year!
С Новым Годом! Happy New Year!
Post Script: tastes like childhood. I am so happy.
