Verison #2 Pelemeni - Russian Style Wontons with Meat Filling

Hello world. 

I want to get this posted as soon as possible so my brain can relax and move on and stop feeling like I'm forgetting to do something. It's like that anxious feeling you get when you know you need to get something done and it nags on you and you can't seem to silence it! Not that you, readers, ever nag me! It's me that doesn't want to disappoint. Or its insanity :) Whatever it is, I've finally got to it. 

This is Version #2. My last post I showed how to make Russian Chebureki (dough filled with ground meat and onions) and the coolest thing about this recipe is: using the exact same ingredients but just folding and cooking them another way, you get a complete different meal! So, repeat all steps to #4. I will show them again to those that are too lazy busy to open a separate link. ;)

Ingredients for Dough:
Flour (All purpose)
2 eggs
1 1/2 C Warm water
Salt


Meat Filling:
One pound ground Turkey
One pound ground Pork
Salt and black pepper
1 large onion, minced


Directions:
1. Mix the eggs with the salt and water. Add Flour. I dont have the exact amount but add by the cup full until the dough starts to form. It should be soft. It will be a little sticky still!


2. Knead a lot. Put it in a bowl and cover with plastic and let it rise half an hour. If it is still too sticky to work with, add more flour. If you do that, let it rise again another 20 minutes. 

3. While the dough is rising, make the meat filling. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. You can add a splash of warm water if it isn't mixing together well. Salt and pepper to taste. It may seem like a lot of onion but the more onion, the tastier!

 

 

4. Cut the dough is three parts. Take out one section and cover the rest so it doesn't dry out. Roll out in a long fat snake form. It should be longer and thinner than you did for the Chebureki. About 1 inch thick. Cut into small pieces also about 1 inch thick. 

5. Roll out into a circle (around 2 inches long) and fill with a teaspoon of meat filling. Fold over. Press the dough together and connect the two tips.  

6. Place on a floured surface and continue until you have used up all your dough or meat filling. My opinion: the smaller, the cuter. What I have pictured is a little big. I personally like them bite size :)


7. Heat water until boils. Salt the water. Throw in the Pelemene and make sure they have enough room to "roll" around. Boil about 5-7 minutes. 

8. Drain and add butter. For about 50, I add 1/2 stick of butter. To be more health conscious, add less butter. We like butter in our family!


9. Enjoy! Add a dollop of sour cream and a dash of pepper if you'd like :)

I'll admit this is a bit time consuming. But totally worth it. You might also like to know that you can freeze these! So get together with some friends, double the recipe and freeze them! Place the folded, ready-to-boil Pelemene on a baking sheet so they are not touching and put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can put them all in a ziploc bag. Keep frozen until ready to boil. 

The honest truth is, I usually make the Pelemene first. After a while, I get a little tried of folding them so I leave the left over dough and meat in the fridge and make Chebureki the next day! :) 


I have another beautiful baby shower waiting to be posted! This was for a boy so check back soon for some inspiration. Hope you have a beautiful summer's day!