Dumplings by the Dozen!

[duonyte]

When I was growing up, one of our favorite meals was dumplings - koldunai, kaldunai, virtiniai are the names they are known by, we knew them as koldunai.


from valstietis.lt

Depending on whether it was a Friday or not, they would be filled with cheese or with ground beef, ground lamb or - my very favorite! - with liver. Liver filling was delicious. They would be served with melted butter, sometimes with some sauteed onions, and always sour cream. I've learned since that there was a Lithuanian fruit dumpling called saltanosiai (literally, "cold noses") which are dumplings filled with blueberries.


from mamosreceptai.lt

And, of course, who can forget the wonderful potato dumplings traditionally called cepelinai and now called didzkukuliai - grated potato squeezed dry and wrapped around a meat or cheese filling - or my favorite liver - and simmered until done.

I've been searching for Eastern European dumpling recipes and have come up with these. I've selected the ones that are either main dishes or side dishes, not the kind that are used in soups or stews. A lot of them are similar from region to region, and some are quite like the ones I recall mother making.

I hope you can suggest your favorites from this region, as well.



Croatian
North Croatian Farmers Cheese Dumplings
Croatian Plum Dumplings (Knedli Od Sljiva)
Croatian Bread Dumplings




Czech
Sauerkraut and Potato Dumplings
SVESTKOVE KNEDLIKY (Plum Dumplings)
HOUSKOVE KNEDLIKY (Bun-dumplings)
Potato Apricot Dumplings
Knedlicky Zeli Dumplings and Sauerkraut




Hungarian
Hungarian Nokedli (Dumplings)
Potato-Plum Dumplings
Haluska, Hungarian potato dumplings with cottage cheese
Kaposztas Gomboc (hungarian Cabbage Dumplings)
Turosgomboc - Hungarian Farmer's Cheese Dumplings

Kazakhstan
Manty from Kazakhstan


Lithuanian
Periyukas (Lithuanian "pirogies")





Polish
Pierogie [peer-Oh-Gee] Potato Pierogies Perogies
Polish Plum Dumplings
Peach Potato Dumplings
Polish Mushroom Dumplings - Uszka
Polish Kopytkami Potato Dumplings
Pierogi Leniwe (Polish Lazy Dumplings)





Russian
Meat-Filled Dumplings (Pelmeni)
Russian Carrot Dumplings
Plum Butter Dumplings (Powidtascherln)



Slovak
Bread Dumplings

Slovenian
Quick Slovenian Cheese Dumplings





Ukranian
Vareniki (Ukrainian Filled Dumplings)
Ukrainian Sweet Cabbage Varenyky (Pierogi Dumplings)
Halushky (Potato Dumplings) Ukraine / Russia

[Lorac]

Great and very tasty topic.

[Elmotoo]

We LOVE dumplings! I'm very intimidated by the thought of making them, though.
Beth

[duonyte]

I think the tricks are to make sure the dough is not too hard (don't add too much flour), roll it very thin, and make sure to exclude the air as you are sealing it - air in the dumplings will expand and cause them to fall apart.

This is for the virtiniai - pelmeni - pierogi type of dumplings.

Also important not to have the water or broth at a boil, but rather at a simmer. Boiling will cause any kind of dumpling to fall apart.

[Elmotoo]

aha. yesterday dd asked if i would make pierogies today. hahahahaaaaa. not today.

[Amberngriffinco]

R there any dumplings, similar to matzo balls, that are lighter for chix w/dumplings?

[duonyte]

I wasn't focusing on those kind of dumplings, but these are all described as being light or fluffy, check descriptions and reviews for particulars

Dumplings
Light Danish Dumplings
Dumplings

[duonyte]

I never considered using a pasta machine for making the dough for virtiniai or pierogi, but apparently it can be done

http://www.food.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=387123