Siberian Pelmeni: Beef and Pork Dumplings in Dill Broth with Sour Cream

Make the dough: mound the flour on a work surface, make a well and add the egg, cold water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Work the flour in from the edges with a fork, then knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and firm. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 small yellow onion, grated on the fine side of a box grater
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup ice water
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 cups beef or chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup sour cream, for serving
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Make the dough: mound the flour on a work surface, make a well and add the egg, cold water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Work the flour in from the edges with a fork, then knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and firm. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Make the filling: combine the beef, pork, grated onion, garlic, ice water, pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Mix with your hands until sticky and uniform; the ice water keeps the meat juicy as it steams inside the dumpling.
3. Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/16 inch thick, as thin as you can manage without tearing. Cut out rounds with a 2 1/2-inch cutter or a glass, gathering and re-rolling the scraps once.
4. Place a scant teaspoon of filling in the center of each round. Fold into a half-moon and pinch the edges tightly closed, then bring the two corners together and pinch to make the classic little ear shape. Set on a floured tray.
5. Freeze the tray for 20 minutes if you have time; firm pelmeni hold their shape beautifully when boiled. Dust with a little flour so they do not stick together.
6. Bring the stock to a rolling boil in a large pot with the bay leaves. Drop in the pelmeni in batches, stir once so they do not stick, and cook for 5-7 minutes after they float to the surface, until the dough is tender and the filling is cooked through.
7. Melt the butter into the broth and taste for salt. Ladle pelmeni and plenty of hot broth into warmed bowls.
8. Top each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream, a shower of fresh dill and a grind of black pepper. Serve at once, with black bread and a little mustard or vinegar on the side if you like.
9. Pelmeni are the great winter food of Siberia, where families once made thousands at a time in late autumn and left them to freeze outside in sacks, dipping into the stash all winter long. The name comes from the Komi-Permyak words for ear and bread, a nod to their shape. Served in broth with sour cream and dill, they are a lunch that warms from the inside out, exactly what a sharp October afternoon asks for.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 640 kcal
• Protein: 36g
• Fat: 27g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 1180mg