Lithuanian Cottage Cheese Dumplings Food

TINGINIO CEPELINAI (CHEESE DUMPLINGS) - LITHUANIAN

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, farina, potato starch, egg and salt. I first stir with a spoon, but then knead it right in the bowl with my hand, to ensure that everything is thoroughly mixed. Cover and let it stand while you make the filling. (Letting it stand about 10 or 15 minutes lets the farina hydrate and I think makes the dough hold together better).
• Saute the onion in the oil in a small saucepan until translucent.
• Add to the remaining filling ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly.
• Divide into four portions and form into small sausage shapes. Cover.
• Sprinkle two or three tablespoons of potato starch onto a large plate and set aside.
• Fill 2 or 3 quart saucepan with water, add salt, and bring to a boil while making the dumplings.
• Divide the dough into four portions - I do this right in the bowl, just cutting through it with a knife.
• Dampen your hands with cool water before forming each dumpling. Take one portion of the dough and flatten it on the palm of one hand into an oval.
• Place on portion of the filling onto the dough and form the dough around it into an oval shape - it's important to make the exterior very smooth, without any cracks or seams - this will keep them dumplings from splitting as they cook.
• Place the dumpling onto the potato-starch-sprinkled plate and roll it around to dredge in the starch.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• When they are all done, carefully place each dumpling into the pot of boiling water. They should fit without crowding or overlapping. If there is any potato starch left on the plate, just scrape it right into the water, as well.
• Let the water return to a boil and reduce it to a slow boil - more than a simmer, but not a full out boil.
• Cook for about 10 minutes after it returns to a boil.
• While these cook, make the sauce.
• Chop the bacon and saute it in a small saucepan.
• As it starts to get translucent, add the mushrooms and butter, and saute until cooked through.
• Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, plate and cover with sauce.
• Note1: "Varske" is what we call farmers' cheese in Lithuanian. Tvarog is widely available in many places and is essentially the same. You want to use one that is whole milk or made from not less than 2% milk. Leaner cheese will not hold together as well - probably you would need more potato starch.
• Note2: The mushrooms are not traditional in the sauce, but I like them, and that way I am not using as much bacon. However, you can serve with just melted butter and sour cream, or any similar sauce that you might have in your files. To reduce calories, you can just saute some mushrooms and perhaps have a little sour cream on the side.
• Note3: I've made this with both ground beef and ground pork. I intend to make a cheese filling also, and I think a mushroom filling would also be very good, if you want to keep this vegetarian.
• Note on Servings: We will eat two each, with that making up our entire meal. If you serve with soup, some veggies, etc., in a more usual fashion, you can probably serve 3 or 4 people.
• Cheese filling: Take about 4 ounces of the farmers' cheese and place in a small bowl. Add the minced green top of one scallion, a pinch of salt and about 1 tbl of cooked minced bacon (I just take from the sauce). You might need a little of the bacon grease to help mix it together. Minced mint or tarragon is traditional, but I had none. I mixed it well and divided into six sections. I then divided the dough into six sections. Cheese filled dumplings are traditionally smaller. Make then as above, but form them into round balls - again, the shape is traditional when using a cheese filling. They will take a minute or two less to cook.

QUICK SLOVENIAN CHEESE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Crumble cheese. (Can use processor for smoother texture.) Add beaten eggs, salt, butter and flour. Mix well. Chill for easier handling.
• Pat and roll dough with hands on a floured board so it will be 1" in diameter, like a sausage. Cut into 1-1/2" pieces.
• Bring 3 qts. water to a brisk boil and drop in ALL the dumplings. Cook for 15 minutes COVERED. Water must boil briskly all the while.
• Serve with buttered bread crumbs.
• Can make ahead and refrigerate.

NORTH CROATIAN FARMERS CHEESE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix well whole eggs and lard. Drain the cheese and add into eggs. Add whole semolina, mix well and leave at least two hours in refrigerator. Longer it stays in refrigerator, better dumplings.
• Heat large pot with water until it boils. Keep boiling.
• Soak your hands in cold water and make balls; Golf-ball size. Put them one after another into boiling water and cook until they start to float on the surface and than 3-5 more minutes. It really depends how hard are your dumplings (that means you have to stick to the recipe).
• To serve as a side dish to meat and sauce, fry some breadcrumbs on butter and put the dumplings into the pan, and fry with breadcrumbs just to stick it to the dumplings. Serve warm.