Homemade dumplings with mixed minced meat
8 servings
60 minutes
Homemade dumplings with mixed filling are one of the most beloved dishes of Russian cuisine, a symbol of comfort and family traditions. Their history traces back to ancient Siberia, where dumplings were an ideal way to preserve meat in harsh winter conditions. The thin, elastic dough wraps around a filling of beef, pork, and turkey, giving it juiciness and rich flavor. Onion added to the filling makes it even more aromatic and tender. Dumplings can be boiled in salted water with spices and served with various sauces: sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar or soy sauce. This dish is perfect for a cozy home dinner or for freezing ahead to enjoy the taste of authentic Russian cuisine at any moment.
1
Pour one kilogram of flour into a mound on a flat surface and make a well in the center to form a volcano. Crack the eggs into it and pour in the milk, adding a couple of pinches of salt. Knead the dough until it is uniform, stretchy, and soft. (If you're worried about the dough being tough, start with more liquid. If the dough is too runny, you can add flour; however, if it becomes tough and too dry, adding water will be problematic).
- Wheat flour: 1.5 kg
- Chicken egg: 2 pieces
- Milk: 400 ml
- Salt: 30 g
2
I get the minced meat from the dacha, it contains beef, pork, and turkey in equal proportions, but I got lucky. If there's no dacha minced meat, I make a 1:1 mix of pork and beef. We clean the onion and chop it into small pieces, not mushy, but slightly larger than a grain of rice (the onion can be ground into the mince, but that's a bit different. I like to feel the onion in the mince). Don't be afraid to add onion; if you chop it finely enough, it will make the mince very juicy. Add 2-3 pinches of salt and ground black pepper, you can add one pinch or even 5, for those who like it spicier. Mix the onion and mince with the spices.
- Onion: 3 pieces
- Ground meat: 1 kg
- Salt: 30 g
- Ground black pepper: to taste
3
Now the main activity, as I write about how to cook for beginners — we will make dumplings using a special mold; the taste doesn't change, but it's easy and quick to make them with the mold. If you want to learn how to shape dumplings specifically, the internet is full of instructions with photos; I won't tell or show anything new by posting such an instruction (I make them every other time; if I'm lazy — I use the mold; if not — I shape them).
4
Tear off a piece of dough the size of half a fist, make a ball from it, and roll it out as thin as you can. 1 - Dust the surface where you'll roll the dough with flour, and also dust the rolling pin. 2 - The dough shouldn't be too thin to avoid tearing; finding the right thickness may take a few tries. 3 - If you made the 'right' dough, rolling it out should be easy; if it requires noticeable effort, something is wrong. Generously dust the dumpling mold with flour; if you don't, the dough will stick, and you won't be able to remove the finished dumplings. Place the rolled-out dough on the mold, gently pressing it down with your finger, fill the cavities with filling, and once all are filled, roll out another similar piece of dough to cover the mold. Dust with flour and roll over it with the pin to press down the edges around all the dumplings. Flip the mold and tap it a few times on the board; when all the dumplings fall out, dust a plate with flour, place the finished product on it, and put it in the freezer.
- Wheat flour: 1.5 kg
5
Dumplings can be boiled in different ways, either in salted water or with the addition of bay leaves or spices.
- Salt: 30 g
6
They can be served with sour cream, mayonnaise, soy sauce, or simply with pepper and vinegar.