Main dishes
Homemade pelmeni
Making pelmeni is a family job in Russia: someone rolls the dough, someone spoons in the filling and someone pinches the edges, and within an hour there's a board covered in a hundred little dumplings. The dough is simple, flour, water, an egg and a spoon of oil, and it rolls out thin without tearing. The filling stays juicy thanks to plenty of onion and a splash of ice-cold water, which turns into broth inside each dumpling as it cooks. This makes about 100 pelmeni, enough for dinner for six with some left to freeze.
Method
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Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well. Add the egg, 200 ml of warm water, the oil and half a teaspoon of salt.
Mix, then knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be firm and not sticky. Cover with cling film and rest for 30 minutes.
For the filling, blitz the onion to a purée and mix it into the mince with 1 teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper and 30 ml of ice-cold water.
Work the filling with your hand for 2-3 minutes until smooth and sticky. Chill until needed.
Divide the dough into 4. Keep the rest covered and roll one piece out to 1-1.5 mm thick.
Cut out 5-6 cm circles with a glass. Put a teaspoon of filling (about 6 g) on each.
Fold each circle in half and pinch the edge firmly, then bring the two corners together to form a little 'ear'. Place on a floured board.
To cook, bring 3 litres of water to the boil with salt and a bay leaf. Add about 30 pelmeni at a time and stir immediately.
Once they float, cook for 5-7 minutes, then lift out into a bowl with butter and toss.
Tips for success
- Keep the edges clean of filling and flour, or they won't seal and will open in the water.
- Gather the trimmings, rest them for 10 minutes and roll again.
- To freeze, lay the dumplings on a floured tray in one layer and bag them after 2 hours.
- If the dough springs back when rolling, let it rest another 10-15 minutes.
Serving and storage
Serve hot with sour cream, melted butter, or a little vinegar and black pepper, scattered with chopped dill. They can also be served in their cooking broth.
Raw frozen pelmeni keep for up to 3 months; cook from frozen for 2-3 minutes longer. Cooked pelmeni keep in the fridge for 2 days and are excellent fried until crisp.
Variations
- Chicken: use chicken thigh mince and add 50 g of butter to the filling.
- Siberian: mix equal parts beef, pork and lamb and add extra pepper.
- Pan-fried: boil for 3 minutes, then fry in butter until golden.
Calories and macros
Per serving (about 291 g):
Per 100 g: 233 kcal, P 9.5, F 11.8, C 21.4. An estimate based on average ingredient values. Your daily calories ›
