Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni

Pelmeni or meat dumplings are a traditional Russian dish, very popular and tasty, consumed in huge quantities. Although there are variations of this food in other countries (Chinese dumplings, Italian tortelini etc), I'm sure you will appreciate them too.

Ingredients
White flour
500 g
Egg
4 pieces
Grinded meat
500 g
pork, beef, chicken or turkey
White onion
3 pieces
Sunflower oil
200 ml
Butter
200 g
Salt
1 tbsp
Pepper
0.5 tsp
Sour cream
200 g
Step by step
Step 1

In a bowl, combine flour, eggs and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Prepare a cup of water.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 1
Step 2

Add a little water to this mixture of eggs + flour + salt until you have a dough that doesn't stick to your hands.

Shape 2 balls and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 2
Step 3

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Grind the meat together with an onion (if you buy the meat already ground, chop the onion very finely). Add 1 teaspoon of salt, ground black pepper, 2 eggs and mix well.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 3
Step 4

Knead the dough balls once more, so that they are smooth and without lumps - leave for another 10-15 minutes.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 4
Step 5

Roll out each ball of dough into a thin, 1-1.5mm sheet. Use a glass with a round and small mouth to cut out into rounds.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 5
Step 6

Place the meat mixture in the middle of each round of dough - so that we can glue the edges together.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 6
Step 7

Fold over the sides into a half-moon shape (like the dumplings), pinching the edges together to secure the filling inside.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 7
Step 8

Then connect the two corners together - this is how pelmeni are shaped.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 8
Step 9

Repeat until you have no dough left. Sprinkle flour over a cutting board or plate and arrange with space between them, so that they don't stick to each other.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 9
Step 10

When all the pelmeni are shaped, chop the 2 onions. Fry in oil until well browned. When the onion is browned, add the butter and turn off the heat - it will melt slowly while the dumplings are boiling.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 10
Step 11

Fill a large saucepan more than half with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt - bring to a boil.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 11
Step 12

When the water comes to the boil, carefully drop the dumplings there, with enough space - don't drop them all at once if they are too many (the same principle as when cooking the pasta).

When they start to boil, turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes - stirring periodically with a spoon.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 12
Step 13

Using a sieve or a strainer, remove from the water, drain well.

After removing the first batch of pelmeni, repeat with the next one (if they didn't fit all in the first round) - bring the water to the boil and drop the dumplings into water.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 13
Step 14

All over the cooked dumplings spread an abundant mixture of oil with fried onion and butter, shake well - so that they don't stick together.

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 14
Step 15

Serve hot/warm with sour cream, pepper and salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Russian Dumpling with Meat - Pelmeni - Step 15
Quantity: 2 kg (6-7 good servings)
Prep time:
30 min
Difficulty: difficult
Ready in: 90 min