Hello from the world of quarantine. The world as we know it has changed. If you are reading this in the future, we are currently battling a pandemic in this world of ours. We have been exposed to a new virus, covid-19, and much of the world is on lockdown or semi-lockdown. First it was China and then we waited. And then Italy. Then Spain. Then everywhere. I am home and I can not really do my job from home. But it is a perfect time for babushka training. My babushkas lived trough WWII and Communism so this is a perfect time to channel their energy. The days somehow go by faster than it would seem.
We knocked out 4 batches of these in three days, because we have nowhere to be and we can’t really be anywhere anyway but it feels good to be productive.
I don’t have any pictures but instead a video!
Here is the recipe we used (thanks to my husband’s family for teaching him so well).
Pelmeni
3 cups all purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
1 egg
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp neutral oil (like sunflower or grapeseed)
1/2 cup – 3/4 cup warm water
1 lb ground meat like beef, pork or lamb (or a combination)
1 small onion diced
2 tbsp dried cilantro
salt and pepper
broth, herbs, vinegar and sour cream for serving
- To make the dough add the flour to a large bowl. Make a little hole in the middle and crack the egg in it, add the salt and the oil as well. Mix it slowly with a fork and add a little bit of water at a time until you have a shaggy wet dough. Start to use your hands and then lay the dough onto a hard surface to knead it. You will knead it for about 15 minutes, continue to add flour if it’s needed. Then let it rest for half an hour wrapped in a towel or plastic.
- Mix the ground meat with onion, cilantro and salt/pepper. Let it sit in the fridge until you need it.
- Once it’s rested roll out 1/3 of your dough to a nice thin layer. Using a champagne class or something of similar size make circles as close together as you can.
- Fill each circle with a little bit of meat, on the stickier side if there is one. Fold the circle in half, pulling the edges if needed, and press to seal it shut. If it’s too dry use a little bit of water. Take the two ends and press them together to make a little dumpling shape.
- Place each pelmeni on a floured cutting board so they don’t stick together. Once you have a board full you can stick them into the freezer. Once they are all the way frozen you can throw them into a bag, and save them for another time if you want.
- To cook them bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and then place about 10-15 pelmeni at a time if there is room. They will float to the surface once they are done, let them cook a bit longer on the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon.
- Serve with a broth, herbs, vinegar and sour cream or any combination of those!
Babushka Training 