RECIPE
Pelmini translates into ear-shaped in Russian and these little ear-shaped dumplings were traditionally made at the onset of winter and stored outside in the frigid and frozen weather, boiled as needed. These dumplings are typically small and served 15-20 per person per sitting. Adding lots of fresh herbs to Pelmeni creates a more vibrant, fresh version.
For the dough:
1 batch of Russian-Style Dumpling Dough
For the filling:
4 ounces of ground beef
4 ounces of ground pork
¼ cup grated red onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fine fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fine fresh mint leaves
½ tablespoon chopped fine fresh chives
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for boiling the dumplings
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the topping:
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon freshly grated horseradish (or 2 teaspoons jarred)
½ tablespoon champagne vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fine fresh dill, extra for garnish
In the meantime, make the filling by combining the beef, pork, onion, garlic in herbs in a large mixing bowl. Season with the salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
To make the topping whisk together the sour cream, horseradish, vinegar, salt and dill until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate.
Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, keep all the dough you are not using covered in a damp cloth or in the plastic bag. On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough out to about 1/8” thick. Cut out circles using a cookie cutter or narrow mouthed glass, approximately 2 ½” thick. Using a small spoon place about ½ teaspoon of the filling in the center of each circle. Fold each circle into a half circle and pinch and seal the edges together. Once the dumpling is sealed in the half circle, seal the two endings of the half circle together as well. Repeat these steps using the remainder of the dough pieces. Place the sealed pelmeni on a tray that is well dusted with flour or cornmeal, making sure the dumplings do not touch each other.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently place the pelmeni in the boiling water and cook about 6-8 minutes or until all of the pelmeni are floating and have been floating for a few minutes. Gently remove the pelmeni from the boiling water using a large, slotted spoon and place them in large bowl with the butter and gently roll around until they are smothered in butter.
Place them on a serving dish and drizzle the sour cream topping on top. Garnish with a little extra chopped dill.
To freeze pelmeni, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring they don’t touch. Place the tray in the freezer and freeze until the pelmeni are solid, about 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a ziplock bag or airtight container. Cook directly from frozen.
More Seasonal recipes
