Cepelinai Meat Potato Dumplings Recipes

LITHUANIAN CEPELINAI: POTATO DUMPLINGS WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE & BACON

Steps:

• Divide the potatoes into 2 batches. Chop one batch into large chunks and boil for 15-20 mins until tender, then drain and mash. Finely grate the remaining potatoes using the smallest blade on a grater and tip into a large bowl lined with a clean tea towel. Bring the edges of the tea towel together and squeeze tightly to expel any liquid; keep 2 tbsp of this juice and discard the rest. In another large mixing bowl, add the reserved potato juice, the grated potato, mashed potato and half of the beaten egg. Beat everything together well, season, set aside to cool, then chill while you prepare the filling.
• Mix together the shallot, pork mince, caraway seeds, garlic, remaining egg and some seasoning.
• Mix 1 tbsp of flour into your potato mixture and divide into 8. Dust the work surface with flour and make sure there is flour on your hands too, as the mixture can be quite sticky. Lightly shape the potato dough into flat round patties, approximately 1cm thick. Put 1 heaped tsp of the pork filling in the middle of each patty, then gently pull the dough up and around to encase the pork and form a dumpling. Roll them in your hands to achieve the signature zeppelin shape. Repeat with the rest of the patties and filling.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Carefully lower in the dumplings, cover and simmer gently for 30 mins. Keep an eye on this - the water must not boil or the dumplings won't hold their shape.
• Meanwhile, grill the bacon until crisp, then chop into very small pieces and set aside. To make the sauce, pour 100ml of boiling water over the dried porcini and leave to stand for 5 mins. In a saucepan, heat the butter and add the shallots, frying gently until they are soft and translucent. Add the chestnut mushrooms and cook for 5 mins more. When they are cooked, pour in 1 tbsp of the liquor from the porcini and discard the rest. Chop the porcini and add them to the pan. Fold in the crème fraîche, bring to a simmer, then season.
• Put 2 dumplings on each plate and pour over the mushroom sauce. Sprinkle the dill and bacon pieces over just before serving with green veg and crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

LITHUANIAN POTATO-MEAT DUMPLINGS (CEPELINAI)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, mix together ground meat, finely chopped onion, the salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the egg until well combined.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Add the lemon juice to the raw grated potatoes so they don't turn brown.
• Place them in a fine-mesh cheesecloth or cotton dishtowel, and twist over a large bowl to get rid of the excess water.
• Pour off the water, reserving the potato starch at the bottom of the bowl.
• Unwrap the cheesecloth and place the raw potatoes in the bowl with the potato starch you reserved from the bottom of the bowl.
• Add the cooked riced potatoes, grated onion, and the salt, more to taste. Mix well.
• Put a large stockpot of well-salted water on to boil.
• To form the zeppelins, take about 1 cup of dumpling mixture and pat it flat in the palm of the hand.
• Place 1/4 cup or more of meat mixture in the center and, using slightly dampened hands, fold the potato mixture around the meat into a football shape, sealing well. Continue until both mixtures are used.
• Carefully lower dumplings (in batches if necessary to prevent crowding) into salted, boiling water to which 1 tablespoon of cornstarch has been added (to prevent dumplings from falling apart). Make sure water returns to the boil; reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the filling is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon or strainer, drain briefly on a clean dish towel and place on a heated platter.
• Gather the ingredients.
• While the dumplings are boiling, make the gravy. In a medium skillet, fry the bacon and chopped onion until tender.
• Drain and combine with sour cream and black pepper. Thin with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk if necessary.
• Ladle the gravy over the dumplings or pass the gravy at the table.

CEPELINAI (MEAT & POTATO DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Cook the onion and garlic with 1 tsp oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Remove half the mixture from the pan and put in a large bowl to cool. When cool, add the mince and egg, season well and mix together. Remove the rest of the onions and garlic from the pan and put in another bowl.
• Heat the remaining ½ tsp oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the pancetta for a couple of minutes until the fat starts to melt. Tip in the reserved onions and garlic and cook for 8-10 mins until golden. Set aside.
• Take a third of the potatoes, chop each into four and put in a large pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 mins until cooked. Drain in a colander, then leave to steam-dry for 5 mins. Crush the potatoes as smooth as you can with a masher or use a potato ricer.
• Finely grate the remaining raw potatoes using a food processor. Squeeze the grated potatoes through a muslin or tea towel over a bowl to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set the bowl of liquid aside and after 5-10 mins it will separate with the potato starch at the bottom of the bowl. Carefully drain off the water, then scrape the starch back into the bowl of raw potatoes. Stir in the citric acid or lemon juice - this will prevent the cepelinai becoming very dark. Add the cooked mashed potato to the raw, add the 2 tbsp potato starch or cornflour, season well and mix to combine.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Season the potato mixture and shape into palm-sized 2cm thin cakes. Add the mince mixture and roll between your palms into large egg shapes, packing the potato around the mince tightly - it helps to wet your hands for this. Add them to the simmering water one at a time and cook for 20-25 mins - when they float to the surface they are done.
• To serve, warm up the pancetta mix. Put two cepelinai on each plate, add a dollop of soured cream and top with the pancetta mix and dill.