History & Origin
Pelmeni (пельмени) were born in the Urals and Siberia, where families would make hundreds at a time and freeze them outside — a natural deep-freeze during the long winter. The word comes from the Finno-Ugric 'pelnyan', meaning 'ear bread', a reference to the dumpling's shape.
Ingredients
Thin unleavened dough of flour, water, egg and salt. Filling of minced beef, pork and sometimes lamb, with onion, salt and pepper.
Traditional Preparation
Dough rolled thin, cut into circles, filled with raw minced meat, folded and sealed by pressing the corners together into their ear-like shape. Boiled in salted water or broth for four to five minutes.
Regional Variations
Ural pelmeni (beef, pork and lamb mix); fish pelmeni (in Siberia); mushroom pelmeni (Lent-friendly).
Pairings
Sour cream, black pepper, butter, or a splash of vinegar. Sometimes served in the broth they were cooked in.
How It Is Served
Hot, drained, tossed with butter and cracked pepper, with sour cream on the side.
Did You Know
In Siberia, families still make thousands of pelmeni in a single day, dry them in the cold, and store them in sacks all winter.
Pelmeni at SkaZka Bali
Pelmeni at SkaZka are hand-pinched every morning and cooked to order — beef-and-pork filling, butter, dill, and a generous spoon of sour cream.