Russian Pelmeni - Meat Dumplings
Pelmeni are flat dumplings of Russian cooking which usually include a filling of ground meat or mushrooms mixed with olive oil, garlic and parsley cooked in medium heat until it becomes translucent. This dish is considered to be a traditional Russian dumpling food. Today it is often found in Greece, Italy, Thailand and the Middle East. Here are some tips to make this classic pelmeni recipe better.
The ingredients for traditional Russian pelmeni are peeled potatoes, olive oil, chopped mushrooms, fresh semolina, lemon juice, salt and some dill. It is best to make sure that your potatoes are firm so that you don't lose the elasticity when folding the dough. If they are soft, then the dumpling will not stay together as it should. After the russet potatoes are cooked and drained, add the rest of the ingredients and fold the dough into a circle. Then cut into small pieces.
Make sure you roll the dough into a long rectangle before sealing it back into a plastic bag and letting it rise in warm water for about an hour. This will make pelmeni easier to cut when it comes time to wrap it. In a food processor or blender, you can strain the mixture until you have the proper consistency.
The most traditional shape for pelmeni is shaped like a pellet. But if you don't have time to make pelmeni, you can omit that step. If you want a siberian delight, you can also substitute it with salmon. In order to obtain a siberian delight, just soak the salmon in water overnight and slice into strips. Then cook in a pan with olive oil for two to three minutes until the salmon flakes easily.
In order to prepare the meat mixture, mix together some breadcrumbs, coarse salt, ground pepper, grated cheese, and ice cubes. Roll the mixture into a sausage shape using your hands. Next, use the rolling pin to form it into a meat mixture that's between your thumbs' and index fingers' sizes. Put this mixture under the grill for several minutes to make sure the cubes are fully cooked.
Pelmeni is not just a traditional meat stew but it's also a delectable meat treat. You can make it with beef, pork, or sheep. Just boil some onions, some tomato sauce, ground pepper, some salt, and chopped cumin seeds and let simmer for about twenty minutes. After the mixture is done, you can serve it with sesame or poppy seed soup. Add a couple of parsley sprigs and green onions for that delicious oriental twist to your main course.
Or you can make a delicious pelmeni broth. Boil enough water to cover the onions, enough to cover the pepper, enough salt, and any other ingredients you want to add. Add enough pepper and onions to the water to cover the mixture. Let simmer for about fifteen minutes, or until the meat becomes tender.
Finally, remove the meat filling from the heat source. Use a large bowl to spoon the cooled boiled potatoes into, fill with enough cold water to cover the meat filling, and place in the freezer for about thirty minutes. Remove the potatoes from the cold bowl and slice them into thin wedges using a knife. Heat up your frying pan, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and let the breading take its shape.
Shape the meat mixture into a circle with the short ends hanging down. Spread a tablespoon of flour on one side of the circle and then begin rolling the ball of dough around in the flour. Once the rolling is complete, place the flat end of your flour teaspoon into the center of the meat mixture, creating a half-moon shape. Hold the formed dough circle tight, and then turn it over so the short ends face outwards.
Brush the Russian dressing onto one side of the meat, and then cover the whole thing with the rest of the bread crumbs. Brush the sides with additional bread crumbs to seal the formation, and then tie the russian knot. Brush the top of the knot with butter, and then fold the tied knot under the outer edge of the bread. Brush the bottom of the knot with more butter and continue to wrap the pelmeni in the crumbs.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and place the Pelmeni in the center. Cover for about ten minutes so that the bread will steam. Remove the Pelmeni from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. With the ingredients for this traditional Russian dish, it is time to make it.
