Russian Mushroom Pelmeni Recipes

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.

VARENIKI (RUSSIAN PIEROGI) WITH POTATOES AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash; season with salt and pepper.
• Combine flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl while potatoes are cooking. Stir sour cream and baking soda together in a second bowl. Add water to flour mixture and blend in, followed by sour cream mixture. Knead into a smooth dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add to mashed potatoes.
• Divide dough into 4 portions and roll each portion into a 1 1/2-inch thick rope. Cut ropes into small 1/2-inch pieces. Press each dough piece into a small flat circle and place 1 teaspoon of potato filling in the center. Fold dough over into a half-moon shape and seal edges.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the vareniki in batches and cook until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander to drain.

PELMENI IN CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the frozen pelmeni in 8 1/3 cups (2 L) boiling water. Add the broth and 1/2 the butter. Wait for the water to come to a boil again, take the pelmeni out after 5-10 min. and leave them to cool.
• In the meantime, get to work on making the cream sauce. In a pot, melt the other 1/2 of the butter. Add the sour cream, chopped onions and spices. Stir and once you obtain a smooth sauce , remove from the heat.
• At this point, you can proceed in 1 of 2 ways. One option is to add the pelmenis to the pot with the sauce, stir and then serve.
• The other option is to distribute the pelmenis into plates and pour some of the cream sauce over each serving.

EASY PELMENI (MEAT DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Combine all the dough ingredients and knead until a soft dough forms. Let rest 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the meat filling by combining all the filling ingredients. Set aside.
• Portion dough into 10 pieces then roll out each piece into a circle. Dust flour over the mold and place one piece of dough over the mold. Fill each hole with meat then top with another piece of dough.
• Using a rolling pin, roll tightly over the top, then invert Pelmeni onto a floured tray. Flash Freeze or Boil 8 minutes.

RUSSIAN MUSHROOM PELMENI

Steps:

• Wash the mushrooms, cut them into small cubes.
• Peel the onion, cut it finely.
• Heat the dry skillet over high heat, add the mushrooms, cover with a lid. Once the mushroom moisture is released, take off the lid and cook until the water evaporates.
• Then add 1 tablespoon oil, onion and saute over low heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile make the dough. In a bowl mix together the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup of just boiled water and 4 tbsp oil. Knead well until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Take about 1/4 of the dough, roll it out into a thin (but not transparent) sheet. Using a small glass, cut into 2.5-inch (6 cm) circles. Take the scraps, add more dough and repeat the procedure until all the dough is cutted into nice circles.
• Put some filling in the center of each round.
• Fold over and using your fingers press tighly the edges together to create a half-moon shape.
• Next, bring the two ends together and pinch them. Make sure there is no holes in your pelmeni. Repeat for all the dough, you will get about 40 pelmeni at the end.
• Bring a pot of water to boil, salt to taste (1 tsp), add 2 bay leaves. Put the pelmeni into boiling water, and cook, stiring carefully until they all float to the top.
• After boiling, cook for 5-6 minutes over low heat. Serve with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper and chopped parsley or dill.

PELMENI RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together an egg, milk, water, salt, and sugar. Add half of the all-purpose flour and using a spatula, fold it in. Then add the rest of the flour and mix.
• Transfer the dough to a counter and knead for about 7-10minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. Wrap it with a plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for about 40-50 minutes.
• In another mixing bowl, add ground pork, ground beef, grated onion, salt and pepper. Using a spatula or your hands, mix everything until evenly combined.
• When the dough is ready, knead it again until it's soft and elastic, adding some more flour. Cut a piece of the dough (about an apple size) and roll it evenly until about ¼-inch thin.
• Cut the circles from the dough using a glass or a special circles cutter. Put about 1 teaspoon of meat mixture in each circle and make the shape of the pelmeni. (you can watch my video tutorial)
• When the pelmeni are ready, you can cook them right away or put them in the freezer. Whether you decide to cook them fresh or frozen, the technique and timing will be the same. It's similar to cooking pasta.
• Boil a large pot with water over high heat. When the water starts boiling, add frozen or freshly made pelmeni and stir, so they don't stick together. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the dumplings start to float on top.
• You can scoop them out of water with a strainer ladle or drain the liquid like you would do it for pasta.

RUSSIAN PELMENI RECIPE + NEW DOUGH RECIPE!

Steps:

• Using the whisk attachment on medium speed, mix together: 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1 tbsp of sour cream 2 cups warm water, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 tsp salt until well blended
• Switch to dough hook and add 4 cups flour. Mix on speed 2 until well blended.
• Add 3 more cups of flour (one cup at a time and wait for the dough to become well blended with each cup).
• Add the rest of the flour 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl (I used 6 Tbsp). Once it is no longer sticking to the bowl, continue to mix 5 minutes. (Total mixing time is about 20 minutes from the time you start adding flour).
• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and saute until golden and soft. Add garlic and saute another minute.
• Mix together pork, turkey, onion & garlic mix, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper and 1 tsp hot sauce (optional).
• Cut off about tennis-ball-size chunks of dough and roll out into a circle.
• Place over mold. Place 1/2 tsp meat into each pocket space on the mold.
• Roll out another chunk of dough and place over the mold.
• Use a rolling pin, roll the top, working from the center - outwards until the pelmeni are well-defined.
• Turn the pelmeni maker over and push the pelmeni out onto a well-floured cutting board.
• Arrange pelmeni evenly on the cutting board, sprinkle with flour and place in the freezer. Pinch together any open edges on pelmeni or the meat will float out during cooking.
• Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziploc bags, sprinkle with flour and freeze them for future enjoyment.
• Shape a portion of the dough into a 1 to 2 -inch thick log. Cut off 1 piece at a time (about gum ball sized) and roll into disks to form a 1.5-inch circle with rolling pin. Sprinkle rolling pin and surface with flour if needed.
• Place 1 tsp pelmeni filling in the center,
• Close the edges and pinch together.
• Pinch the corners together to form, well... a diaper shape.
• Place pelmeni onto a well-floured cutting board. Arrange pelmeni evenly on the cutting board, sprinkle with flour and place in the freezer.
• Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziploc bags, sprinkle with flour and freeze them for future enjoyment.
• Bring a pot of water to boil (add 1 tbsp salt for a large soup pot, or 1 tsp salt for a smaller 4 quart pot). Add FROZEN pelmeni and return to a boil. They should float to the top, then boil for 3 mintues longer (or until meat is fully cooked). Drain pelmeni and place them in a clean bowl. Toss pelmeni with butter and sprinkle with dill (optional). Serve them warm with ketchup, sour cream or vinegar (my personal favorite).

SIBERIAN PELMENI DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Sift the flour onto a clean, dry work surface. Make a well in the middle and add the salt, eggs, and measured water, gradually mixing in the flour into it with your hands to form a firm dough. Knead well for 5-7 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare your chosen filling.
• Finely chop the mushrooms, onion, garlic, and parsley in a food processor. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the vegetable mixture with the soy sauce for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture cool before handling.
• The dough should be ready by this point. Take it out of the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface. For best results, use a pasta machine, since you need to make sheets that are about 1.5 mm thick, which you will get by using a number 7 setting on your pasta machine.
• Using a shot glass or cookie cutter, cut out discs of dough, 1 1/2-2 1/2 inches (4-6 cm) in diameter. Place a teaspoon of your filling in the middle of each disc and fold in half to make a half-moon shape, then fold again so that the edges of the half-moon are stuck together.
• The dumplings can be cooked immediately or frozen to be cooked at a later date using the same method as below, increasing the cooking time as necessary.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, adding the bay leaf and bouillon cube. Add the pelmeni, in batches, to the boiling broth and cook for 5 minutes per batch. You know they are ready when they float up to the surface.
• Ladle your pelmeni into soup bowls with the cooking broth, topping them with fresh herbs, sour cream, and black pepper. If you prefer to have them without the broth, transfer them to the bowls using a slotted spoon and add a generous dollop of butter, as well as the rest of the serving ingredients. This makes around 10 servings of dumplings, but if that's more than the number of mouths that you have to feed, they freeze well kept in flat layers in a freezer bag.

VEGAN RUSSIAN DUMPLINGS WITH SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• in a bowl sift together flour and salt;
• in a glass mix together water and oil, then add it to the flour and mix everything together. Once you cannot mix it anymore with a spoon, start kneading the dough with your hands until it doesn't stick anymore to your fingers (if necessary, gradually add a bit extra flour);
• set the dough aside and cover with a towel to avoid that it gets dry.
• chop spinach and mushrooms in tiny pieces (or use food processor for this step);
• put both ingredients in a frying pan, add crushed garlic, salt and cook everything until all the liquid from the ingredients has evaporated.
• separate the dough in four equal parts. Take one part and roll it out until it's very, very thin, but not transparent. With a big glass cut out circle shaped pieces. In the middle of every circle put a bit of the filling, fold the circle to create a half moon shape and then join the two ends together. Continue until you finish all the dough and all the filling;
• cook several dumplings (don't put too many of them together, because they might stick together) in hot water with spices and bay leaves or in hot vegetable stock for approximately 5 - 7 minutes. Once the dumplings are ready, they will float to the top. Serve immediately with fresh dill and vegan sour cream, vegan mayonnaise or any other sauce of your choice.

PELMENI RECIPE RUSSIAN DUMPLINGS (Пельмени)

Steps:

• Mix the flour and salt, place into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
• Crack the eggs into the flour. Using a fork, stir the eggs into the flour.
• Slowly add the water while kneading, until the dough forms a sticky ball.
• Continue to knead the dough on a floured surface until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
• Cover the dough with a bowl and allow to rest for about an hour.
• In a separate bowl, using your hands, mix the ground beef, onion, oil, water, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
• Roll out the dough about ⅛" thin on a lightly floured surface. I use a Kitchenaid Pasta Roller, usually on the 2nd thickness setting. Some people like it thinner, but I don't want the dough to tear. Using a 3" cookie cutter, cut out circles. Remix, roll out and reuse the extra dough to make more circles. Cover the dough that you aren't using so it doesn't dry out. Don't flour the surface (or very minimal), or the pelmeni won't seal properly. Keep the remaining dough under the upside down bowl to keep from drying out.
• Place about 1 teaspoon of beef filling in the centre of the circe. Carefully fold in half and pinch to seal the pelmeni shut. Careful not to have the filling touching the edges, or it won't seal and fall apart when cooking.
• Place the pelmeni on an uncovered tray and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Place the individually frozen pelmeni into a Ziplock bag for an easy dinner later.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil with the bay leaves.
• Drop 25-30 pelmeni into the boiling water. Gently stir, to prevent the Pelmeni from sticking together.
• Simmer until the meat and dough is cooked approx 10 minutes. When you lift them out of the water and the cooked pelmeni 'wrinkles' or 'shrivels' then you know it's done. It will take a bit longer when using frozen pelmeni.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and serve with sour cream and dill.

PELMENI

Steps:

• In a medium pot, bring the water and butter to a boil.
• Add the salt and two cups of flour all at once. Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon.
• Take off the heat, cool slightly and add the eggs.
• Add the remaining four cups of flour. Mix until combined.
• Cover, and set aside, letting the dough rest for about 20 minutes.
• Melt butter in a skillet. Add the onions and cook for about 5-7 min, until tender and starting to turn slightly golden. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked onions and garlic, salt, pepper, herbs and spices and water. Mix to combine.
• Roll out the dough into a thin sheet. (While assembling the dumplings, keep the remaining dough covered, so it stays soft and pliable, protecting it from drying out.)
• Cut out 3 inch circles, using a biscuit cutter or a cup. Place 1 heaping Tablespoon of meat filling in the center. Fold the dough over in half, sealing the edges together.
• When sealing the edges together, make sure to squeeze out all the air, so the pelmeni don't burst open while cooking.
• Take hold of the corners and pinch them together, creating the classic pelmeni shape.
• Add 1 bay leaf, and some peppercorns to a pot of water. Season with salt and bring to a boil.
• Add the pelmeni, (no need to thaw if using frozen Pelmeni). Cook just until the pelmeni float to the top, for about 5 min. Make sure not to overcook them.
• Drain the water or use some of it and serve it with the pelmeni as a broth.
• Serve with sour cream. Other garnish options are melted butter, sour cream, vinegar, fresh herbs, sauteed onions and bacon.