Kreplach (Several Varieties)

DeSouter's Note:

From "A Jewish Mother's Cookbook," by Elaine Radis

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 10 kreplach

Noodle Dough or buy won-ton skins

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups flour, unsifted (scant)

Chicken Filling

• 2 cups cooked chicken, minced
• 1 tablespoon onion, minced
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper, to taste

Chicken Liver Filling

• 2 cups broiled chicken livers
• 2 eggs, hard boiled
• 1 onion, small minced
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon schmaltz (chicken fat)

Meat Filling

• 2 cups meat, cooked and ground
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon onion, minced
• salt and pepper

Cheese Filling

• 2 cups farmers dry curd cottage cheese
• 3 tablespoons matzo meal or 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons onions, minced
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Noodles:.
2. This is a lost art.
3. May I add that I usually use wonton skins and make life easy for myself, but once in awhile-- Add salt to eggs, add eggs to flour.
4. Mix with your hands until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
5. It should be fairly stiff.
6. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
7. Roll out on a lightly floured board (or on a white cloth).
8. Roll and stretch until it is paper thin-- well very thin.
9. Cut into 3" squares.
10. Place one tablespoons of filling in center of each square and fold to make a triangle.
11. Crimp edges with a fork and cook in boiling water.
12. If you have a pasta machine (or I sometimes use a Food Processor).
13. Cook until they rise to the top, about 10 or 12 minutes.
14. DO NOT COOK IN THE SOUP.
15. You may warm them in the soup.
16. Fillings:.
17. These days I zap all the ingredients for each type of filing in the Food Processor, leaving the eggs for last.
18. For the cheese filling, you just want to combine the ingredients.
19. Elaine's Note: I would serve all but the cheese with chicken noodle soup or as an appetizer or side dish.
20. The Cheese Kreplach are usually served on the side (for a dairy meal) with sour cream.
21. Each of these recipes makes about 30, figure at least 3 each.