Russian Pelmeni


Pelmeni are dough balls stuffed with meat. The word comes from the Finno-Ugric languages and literally means “ear bread”. Back in the days in Siberia, people used to freeze pelmeni outdoors in the winter. It was a king of preserved food.

2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup milk or water
2 eggs
Put two cups of flour in a medium bowl.
Mix in salt.
Make a well in the flour and add two eggs.

Work the mixture into a dough as you gradually add milk.
Mix until you get soft dough.
Turn the dough on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until it's soft and non-sticky.

Dust the work surface with flour. Take a piece of dough and pat it into a circle.
Roll it out with a rolling pin, from the center out, until you have a 1/4 sm thick circle.
Cut out circles with a cookie cutter or a water glass.

Place filling in each dough circle and fold. Press with fingers and then use the back of a fork to press and form the edge.
Arrange pelmeni in a lightly floured plate and cover with clean dry cloth.
You may also fold them in the traditional way. Fold each dough circle, tap with fingers to glue dough and then glue corners together.