Pelemeni (Russian Version of Ravioli/Dumplings)

Filling:

• 1/2 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 pound ground veal, or lamb, or beef
• 1 medium onion grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dough:

• 2 cups sifted flour
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup water

1. Combine the two meats with onion.
2. Add seasonings, mix well and set aside.

Prepare Dough:

1. In a small mixing bowl, sift the flour and a pinch of salt.
2. Lightly beat the egg with the water.
3. Make a nest in the flour.
4. Add the egg with water into the nest.
5. Work the flour into the egg and mix.
6. Knead to a rather dry dough.
7. Use more flour if needed.
8. Roll dough very thin.
9. If you don’t have a mold cut the dough into 2″ circles.
10. Put a small ball of filling (about 1/2 tsp) onto each circle and fold over and pinch edges making a half-moon shape.
11. Now bring each corner of the moon shape together and pinch together.
12. At this stage you can freeze them, or you can go on to the next step.
13. Bring your favorite broth to a boil.
14. Add the Pelemeny to the boiling broth.
15. When they are done they will surface like doughnuts.
16. You can serve them with the broth like a soup or you can have them plain with some sour cream.
17. This recipe should feed 4-6 people.

Tip: If you are going to freeze them place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze partially before putting them in a freezer bag so they don’t stick together.

Making Pelemeni with my family which you can call Russian dumplings.

These are filled with a combination of ground chicken, lamb or beef.

This family cooking day happened several years ago while Dear and I were living in Camarillo for a few years because of his work. We gathered at my sister Vera’s home in Huntington Beach. This was probably sometime in 2008 or 2009.

It is fun to do this kind of cooking when my family can gather together. Nowadays I make a special trip to Kiev Market in Spokane and buy them packaged and frozen and ready to enjoy.

We enjoy them in a non-traditional way in a soup broth with chopped spinach in the broth along with the dumplings and served with chopped hard boiled eggs and a dollop of sour cream.