Description
Pelmeni are traditional Russian dumplings filled with a savory mixture of ground pork and beef, combined with grated onion and seasoned with salt and pepper. This recipe guides you through making the dough from scratch, preparing the flavorful filling, shaping the pelmeni, and cooking them to perfection by boiling. A comforting and hearty dish, pelmeni can be enjoyed fresh or frozen for later.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Filling Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, grated with juices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, water, salt, and sugar until combined. Add half of the all-purpose flour and fold it into the liquid using a spatula. Then add the remaining flour and mix well.
- Knead the dough: Transfer the dough onto a clean counter and knead for about 7-10 minutes until it becomes soft and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 40-50 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Prepare the filling: In another mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, ground beef, grated onion along with its juices, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or your hands until the filling is evenly mixed.
- Roll out the dough: Once rested, knead the dough again briefly until soft and elastic, adding a little more flour if needed to prevent sticking. Cut off a piece about the size of an apple and roll it out evenly on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Shape the pelmeni: Use a glass or a circle cutter to cut rounds from the dough. Place about 1 teaspoon of the meat filling in the center of each dough round. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape and pinch the edges tightly to seal the dumplings.
- Cook the pelmeni: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add fresh or frozen pelmeni and stir gently to prevent sticking. Boil for about 10 minutes or until the dumplings float to the surface, indicating they are fully cooked.
- Drain and serve: Use a strainer ladle to remove the pelmeni from the water or drain them like pasta. Serve hot with sour cream, butter, or your preferred dipping sauce.
Notes
- Resting the dough is important to make it easier to roll and shape.
- You can freeze uncooked pelmeni in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag for easy future cooking.
- Grate the onion instead of chopping finely to release more juice and flavor into the filling.
- If the dough is sticky when rolling, dust your surface and rolling pin lightly with flour.
- Pelmeni can be served simply with sour cream or with a broth for a soup-style dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Russian
Keywords: Pelmeni, Russian dumplings, ground pork and beef dumplings, homemade dumplings, traditional Russian recipe
