Lithuanian Meat Dumpling

[jessielee]

KOLDUNAI/MEAT DUMPLINGS

DOUGH:

1-CUP FLOUR
1 EGG
1-3 TBSP WATER

Crack the egg over the flour in a mixing bowl. Add water until the mixture is of dough quality (like a pie dough). You may roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut the dumplings out with a round cutter. Now take a small spoon of meat (about ½ teaspoon) and place it on a dumpling circle. I make a 2-3 inch dough circle cut out.

To seal the edges good, dip your fingertip into water then run your finger around the edges of the dumpling then press together.

Drop the dumplings into salted boiling water. The dumplings need to boil/cook until they start to float. This usually takes 15-20 minutes. Take them out and place on a plate or bowl then top with your favorite topping. If I boil frozen dumplings I allow them to float a few minutes to make sure they are done thoroughly.

You may lay raw dumplings onto freezer or a baking paper and freeze them then place them after they are frozen into a freezer bag. I make these in America and freeze them like this. A recipe will make several. It is a little time consuming at first but this recipe will last a while if there are two of you.

This dumpling can also be baked if you like. I have not done this but it is done here. The most popular way is to boil them.



FILLINGS


MEAT FILLING:

1 pound Ground meat ( I always use fresh ground lean meat, not previously frozen and thawed. I also use pork and beef ground together)
spices to taste ( I use homemade Cajun seasoning or salt and pepper)

CABBAGE FILLING:
2 CUPS SHREDDED CABBAGE
1 CARROT SHREDED
1-2 CLOVES MINCED GARLIC
1 ONION CHOPPED
OIL TO COVER BOTTOM OF PAN

HEAT THE OIL ADD THE VEGETABLES AND FRY THEM ON LOW TO MEDIUM HEAT. COVER THE PAN WHILE DOING THIS (ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES). PUT THE VEGGIES IN A BOWL AND SET ASIDE TO COOL.


KOLDUNAI MAY ALSO BE STUFFED WITH FRUIT AND BOILED. THEN USE A WHIPPED CREAM OR SOUR CREAM SAUCE.


SAUCES:

BACON AND ONION SAUTEED TOGETHER

SOUR CREAM

BUTTER AND SOUR CREAM HEATED TOGETHER

MUSHROOM SOUP TYPE SAUCE

We top ours with butter and sour cream with our favorite spices/herbs such as: dill, parsley and vegeta (universal spice) bought all over Europe. www.malincho.com/c-100-vegeta.aspx The site above is the spice vegeta.

[michelle]

Do you fold the dumplings in half, or lay another round on them?

[jessielee]

Yes, I fold them in half. A friend over there makes hers by rolling the dough into a rope then cuts off a small dough ball to roll individually instead of a large circle to cut out the small pieces out of. Her way there is NO dough waste at all. She just shared this info with me recently. I cut dough using dental floss.

[doris]

that sounds yummy.... Is Lithuanian food similar to Polish food?

[jessielee]

Yes, they have many of the same foods from what I understand.