Lamb Pelmeni Food

SIBERIAN PELMENI DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• To make the dough, sift the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the middle and add a pinch of salt, the egg and 100ml water, gradually mixing the flour into it with your hands to form a firm dough. Knead well for 5-7 mins. Cover and chill for 30 mins. In the meantime prepare your fillings.
• Thoroughly mix the meat filling ingredients together in a large bowl with a pinch of salt.
• To make the vegetable filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms, onion, garlic and parsley with the soy sauce for 5 mins. Turn off the heat and stir through the pine nuts and some salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool before handling.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to 1.5mm-thick sheets. For the best results, use a pasta machine.
• Cut out discs of the dough that are about 4-6cm in diameter using a shot glass or pastry cutter. Put a teaspoon of filling in the middle of each disc, then use a wet finger to brush lightly onto the dough around the filling. Fold each in half to make a half-moon shape, pressing down to seal. Fold the dumpling again so that the pointed edges of the moon are stuck together. The dumplings can be cooked immediately or frozen in flat layers in freezer bags to be cooked at a later date, using the same method as below but increasing the cooking time by a couple of minutes.
• To cook, bring about 3 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan, adding the bay leaves and stock cube. Add the dumplings to the boiling broth in batches of around 10, then cook for 5 mins. They are ready when they float to the surface. The meat ones may take a few minutes more than the veg.
• Ladle the pelmeni into soup bowls with the cooking broth, topping them with the dill, soured cream and black pepper. If you prefer to have them without the broth, use a slotted spoon to move them to a bowl, adding a generous dollop of butter with the dill, soured cream and black pepper.

RUSSIAN PELMENI

Steps:

• Combine egg, vegetable oil, and salt in a measuring cup; add enough water to fill to 1 cup. Pour into a bowl, add 3 cups flour, and knead into a smooth, elastic dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and rest for 30 minutes.
• Dust a baking sheet lightly with 1 tablespoon flour.
• Combine ground beef, onion, water, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix filling thoroughly by hand or using a fork.
• Roll out a portion of the dough very thinly on a lightly floured surface and cut out 2 1/2-inch rounds with a cookie cutter or a wine glass. Keep the rest of the dough covered with a towel to avoid drying out. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of filling on one side of the dough circle. Fold dough over and seal the edges using fingers, forming a crescent. Join the ends and pinch them together. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Freeze pelmeni for 30 minutes to prevent them from sticking together.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a simmer and drop small batches of frozen pelmeni into simmering water. Cook and stir until the meat is cooked and pelmeni float to the top, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates using a slotted spoon.