1. Pelmeni are Siberian dumplings that predate the Russian conquest of the
indigenous people that started in the 17th century and have since spread
Federation wide. The original Siberians are believed to have been introduced to
them by the Mongols, and they are similar to some kinds of Chinese dumplings.
Traditionally they are made in their thousands at the end of the short
Siberian summer and then frozen to last all year. This gourmet food recipe is easy
to make and even easier to cook. Once the dumplings are made they can be
frozen for ages and only need to be boiled before consumption. They were
popular with hunters who needed light, nutritious and simple provisions they
could carry out with them and cook without much trouble.

2. In modern day Russia they are mass produced and sold in supermarkets
and are popular with students and bachelors, a bit like instant noodles. You can
by them pre-made in Australia, but they are kind of nasty. With just a little effort
you can make some amazing versatile pilmeni. They are great as an entree served
with sour cream and even better boiled up at three in the morning when you’ve
been drinking.
Here is the recipe to make the pastry, plus two of my favourite fillings. You
can fill it with anything you like, but these are both traditional and both are
amazing.
Pastry Ingredients
 400 grams sifted flour. ‘00’ pasta flour is best.
 Salt
 Eggs (Optional)
Method:
1. Put your flour out onto a clean work surface. Make a well in the centre and add
a teaspoon of salt, two eggs and a cup of warm water.
2. Gently whisk in the flour from the sides as though you were making fresh pasta
and then kneed the dough for about five minutes until it reaches a nice elastic
consistency, firm but not sticky.

3. 3. Using a pasta machine or a rolling pin, roll the dough out into sheets about half
a millimetre thick.
4. Cut the sheets into little circles roughly the size of your hand. Put a spoonful of
your chosen filling in the centre of each. Fold them over to seal them, then pinch
and join them together. This can be tricky, so seal the edges with egg if you are
having trouble.
5. When done, cover the Pilmeni with a glad wrap or a damp tea towel and put in
the fridge for an hour to firm. You can boil them straight away or freeze them for
up to a year. Add them to boiling salted water and boil until they float to the top.
6. Drain, season with salt and pepper and serve them plain with accompanying
sour cream, mustard, vinegar or tomato sauce. Alternatively, fry them in butter
with fresh sage for a further couple of minutes for a smoky, rich alternative to
condiments.
Fillings:
 Miaska Pilmeni (Mixed Meat Dumplings)
 500 grams pork mince
 500 grams chuck steak
 1 large onion, sliced and caramelized
 ½ Cup chopped dill
 400 grams crusty white bread, crust removed and soaked in 1 cup heavy
cream
 1 egg


4. Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and refridgerate for two hours for
flavours to combine.
2. Grind mixture through a meat grinder, or pulse in a food processor until pureed
and sticky.
3. Fill the pilmeni shells as above. Makes about 80 dumplings.
Grib Pilmeni (Mushroom Dumplings)
 800 grams mixed wild mushrooms (porcini, button, ennochi, white or
chanterelles, whatever you can find)
 Salt and Pepper
 Red wine Vinegar
 6 Cloves Garlic
 1 large Onion
 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method:
Finely dice the mushrooms, garlic and onion. Sweat them all together in a thick
pan on a low heat for about 15 minutes until all the moisture is gone. Add a dash
of red wine vinegar and cover for a minute, then remove and continue to stir for
another two minutes. Turn the heat and quickly stir through the parsley so that it
wilts.
Allow to cool and then fill the pilmeni shells as above.
Source: http://babushkababushka.net