More pelmeni photos

Because Blogger is having issues.

 Here are the pelmeni, before cooking, and after.

Pelmini photos

Pelmeni (Ukrainian dumplings, like ravioli)

We had a pelmeni making party tonight because my nephew-to-be is from Ukraine, and we want to serve them as appetizers at a post-wedding backyard barbecue party. He brought his mom's recipe, which, as he translated it, was: Grandma's noodle dough! With ground pork inside, like ravioli. He even brought his mom's pelmeni press, which makes something like 3 dozen at a time.

Here's how it works: You make a meat mixture, in this case ground pork with chopped onion, salt and pepper. Then you make pasta, noodle dough, whatever you want to call it: Put about one cup of flour on the counter or bread board, make a well, add a pinch of salt, crack an egg in, add a teaspoon or less of water (or milk), "pinch" the flour into the egg until you have dough. Chill it for a few minutes, then roll it out on a floured board with a floured pin, making sure to turn it over and turn it around so it doesn't stick and so it stays round.

Wrap it loosely around your rolling pin to transfer to the mold, which is about the size of a pie pan but has small holes in it. While one person presses the dough into those holes and puts a little of the meat mixture in, make another round of dough. Put it over the top, roll it down so the "cutters" kick in, and voila! Pelmeni!

Repeat.

When you have enough, put them in boiling water for 8 minutes. Serve with sour cream and dill, and caramelized onions once you know about that part! I didn't, but now I do.

Hard to not like something that (a) has porky goodness and (b) involves mandatory sour cream.