LifestyleI received a dumpling recipe from a friend. Your family is gonna love it

I received a dumpling recipe from a friend. Your family is gonna love it

Dumplings taste the best with gravy.
Dumplings taste the best with gravy.
Images source: © Adobe Stock

7:36 AM EDT, November 3, 2023

The charm in these dumplings comes from the twists created when their edges are sealed. They're often filled with either buckwheat and cracklings or minced meat. Here's the recipe.

I fell in love with these traditional Warmian dumplings at first bite, leading me to make them at least monthly. A Warmian friend gifted me the recipe for the meat-filled version. I frequently serve them with cracklings which are crispy bacon pieces flavored with marjoram and garlic.

Dumplings: with meat or buckwheat and cracklings?

Dumplings have a rich cultural history. Their name refers to the twists on the dumplings' edges, which resemble long ears. Introduced to Warmia by a resettled population from the Eastern Borderlands after World War II, they have become a notable part of Warmia's culinary tradition. As of 2019, they're even on the Ministry's list of traditional products.

The renowned dumplings are made differently depending on the region and individual preference. In Warmia, dumplings are filled either with beef, similar to Lithuanian dumplings, or with buckwheat and cracklings. Those with beef are served in a hot broth or red borscht, while the buckwheat and crackling dumplings are more filling and aromatic.

Beef-filled dumplings recipe

Ingredients:

DOUGH

  • 4.4 pounds of wheat flour,
  • 2 eggs,
  • 1 teaspoon of oil (for example, sunflower or rapeseed),
  • half a teaspoon of salt,
  • around 8.5 ounces of warm water.

FILLING

  • 1.1 pounds of ground beef,
  • 0.22 pounds of fatty bacon,
  • 1 onion,
  • 2 cloves of garlic,
  • 1 egg,
  • 1 teaspoon of dried marjoram,
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste,
  • for greasing: 0.22 pounds of bacon and 1 onion.

Procedure:

  1. Cut half of the bacon into small cubes. Blend it in a bowl with an egg, chopped onion, salt, pepper, and marjoram. Knead the mixture with hands moistened in cold water.
  2. Sift the flour, then add the eggs, oil, and salt. Add warm water in a thin stream while kneading the dough. Once the dough is prepared, keep it covered with a cloth for approximately 10 minutes.
  3. Next, roll out the dough thinly and cut out circular pieces.
  4. Place a teaspoon of the meat filling on each piece of dough, and then seal the edges with fingers dipped in water.
  5. Boil the dumplings for about 10 minutes from the moment they float.
  6. Top the dumplings with browned bacon and onions before serving.