Pelmeni(пельмени) are small, traditional Russian dumplings with filling, usually meat or sometimes fish or mushroom. Pelmeni are usually boiled but can also be steamed. Cream and dill are traditional toppings.
While common in Russian cuisine today, pelmeni probably came to Russian cuisine from the Ural mountains or further east in the reaches of Siberia where this type of dumplings have been made for centuries. In these cold regions, dumplings can be easily frozen and stored for winter. Even today, pelmeni are sometimes hung outside to freeze when the weather is cold.
To shape pelmeni, the dough wrapper is folded around a spoonful of filling and the edges are pressed to make a half-moon or crescent shape. Then the two ends are brought together and pressed to make the final shape. Serving very small dumplings is a way to show respect for guests, since making smaller dumplings requires more time and precision.
Pelmeni Wrapper Recipe
24 – 30 wrappers
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose wheat flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ – ¾ cup water
Directions
- combine flour, salt
- gradually mix in water until dough forms
- let dough rest 5 minutes
- knead dough
- let dough rest 20 to 30 minutes
- sprinkle flour on work surface and dough
- flatten dough
- cut out circles
- use or store
Mushroom Pelmeni Recipe
24 – 30 dumplings; 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cup mushroom, minced
- ½ onion, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- dill (optional)
- 24 – 30 pelmeni wrapper
- water to cover
- fresh dill leaf, chopped, or parsley (optional)
Directions
- combine mushroom, onion, salt, pepper, dill
- wrap one spoonful mushroom mixture in each pelmeni wrapper
- boil water
- add pelmeni
- simmer 5 minutes
- strain pelmeni
- let cool
- garnish with dill (optional)
- serve