If you’re looking to make delicious Russian Pelmeni, you’re in luck! This recipe comes with a brand new dough that’s softer, tastier, and more precise in its measurements. To make your cooking process smoother, we highly recommend using a KitchenAid Mixer, a true workhorse in the kitchen. Additionally, a pelmeni mold can significantly speed up the preparation.
If you don’t have a pelmeni mold, you can find one on Amazon. While making pelmeni from scratch may be a bit challenging, they are both cost-effective and incredibly flavorful. Plus, indulging in these tasty morsels will surely evoke childhood memories (detstvo vspomnish). With this recipe, you’ll have enough to enjoy approximately six dinners, making the initial effort well worth it. You can also freeze them for later consumption.
When serving these delightful Russian Pelmeni, you have a couple of options. You can either serve them in a rich chicken broth or boil them and then coat them with butter. For an extra kick, dip them in sour cream, vinegar, or even ketchup.
Ingredients for Russian Pelmeni Dough:
- 2/3 cups buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 7 cups plus 6 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
Ingredients for Pelmeni Filling:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Ingredients/Ideas for Toppings:
- Butter, melted
- Sour cream, vinegar, ketchup
How to Make Basic Vareniky or Pelmeni Dough:
- Using the whisk attachment on medium speed, mix together: 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1 Tbsp sour cream, 2 cups warm water, 2 eggs, and 1 1/2 tsp salt until well blended. (Please excuse the fact that this picture has the paddle attachment – I hauled my mixer to my sister’s house to make these and forgot the whisk!)
- Switch to the dough hook and add 4 cups of flour. Mix on speed 2 until well blended.
- Add 3 more cups of flour (one cup at a time, waiting for the dough to become well blended with each cup). Add the remaining flour 1 Tbsp at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl (I used 6 Tbsp). Continue to mix for 5 minutes. The total mixing time should be about 20 minutes from the time you start adding flour.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
How to Make Pelmeni Filling:
- Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a medium skillet. Add the diced onion and sauté until it becomes golden and soft. Add the pressed garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Mix together the ground turkey, ground pork, onion and garlic mix, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, and 1 tsp hot sauce (optional).
If Using a Pelmeni Mold:
- Cut off chunks of dough about the size of a tennis ball and roll them out into a circle.
- Place the rolled dough over the mold and add 1/2 tsp of meat into each pocket space on the mold.
- Roll out another chunk of dough and place it over the mold.
- Use a rolling pin to 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 them in the freezer. Be sure to pinch together any open edges on the pelmeni, or the meat may float out during cooking.
- Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziplock bags, sprinkle with flour, and freeze them for future enjoyment.
If Making Pelmeni by Hand:
- Shape a portion of the dough into a 1 to 2-inch thick log. Cut off one piece at a time (about the size of a gum ball) and roll it into disks to form a 1.5-inch circle using a rolling pin. Sprinkle the rolling pin and surface with flour if needed.
- Place 1 tsp of pelmeni filling in the center of each dough circle.
- Close the edges and pinch them together to form a “diaper shape.”
- Place the pelmeni onto a well-floured cutting board, arrange them evenly, sprinkle with flour, and place them in the freezer.
- Once they are fully frozen, put them in large ziplock bags, sprinkle with flour, and freeze them for future enjoyment.
To Cook Pelmeni:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil (add 1 Tbsp salt for a large soup pot, or 1 tsp salt for a smaller 4-quart pot). Add the frozen pelmeni and return to a boil. They should float to the top. Boil for an additional 3 minutes (or until the meat is fully cooked).
- Drain the pelmeni and place them in a clean bowl. Toss the pelmeni with butter and sprinkle with dill (optional). Serve them warm with ketchup, sour cream, or vinegar (my personal favorite).
