Lithuanian Cheese Dumplings Recipes

TINGINIO CEPELINAI (CHEESE DUMPLINGS) - LITHUANIAN

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, farina, potato starch, egg and salt. I first stir with a spoon, but then knead it right in the bowl with my hand, to ensure that everything is thoroughly mixed. Cover and let it stand while you make the filling. (Letting it stand about 10 or 15 minutes lets the farina hydrate and I think makes the dough hold together better).
• Saute the onion in the oil in a small saucepan until translucent.
• Add to the remaining filling ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly.
• Divide into four portions and form into small sausage shapes. Cover.
• Sprinkle two or three tablespoons of potato starch onto a large plate and set aside.
• Fill 2 or 3 quart saucepan with water, add salt, and bring to a boil while making the dumplings.
• Divide the dough into four portions - I do this right in the bowl, just cutting through it with a knife.
• Dampen your hands with cool water before forming each dumpling. Take one portion of the dough and flatten it on the palm of one hand into an oval.
• Place on portion of the filling onto the dough and form the dough around it into an oval shape - it's important to make the exterior very smooth, without any cracks or seams - this will keep them dumplings from splitting as they cook.
• Place the dumpling onto the potato-starch-sprinkled plate and roll it around to dredge in the starch.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• When they are all done, carefully place each dumpling into the pot of boiling water. They should fit without crowding or overlapping. If there is any potato starch left on the plate, just scrape it right into the water, as well.
• Let the water return to a boil and reduce it to a slow boil - more than a simmer, but not a full out boil.
• Cook for about 10 minutes after it returns to a boil.
• While these cook, make the sauce.
• Chop the bacon and saute it in a small saucepan.
• As it starts to get translucent, add the mushrooms and butter, and saute until cooked through.
• Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, plate and cover with sauce.
• Note1: "Varske" is what we call farmers' cheese in Lithuanian. Tvarog is widely available in many places and is essentially the same. You want to use one that is whole milk or made from not less than 2% milk. Leaner cheese will not hold together as well - probably you would need more potato starch.
• Note2: The mushrooms are not traditional in the sauce, but I like them, and that way I am not using as much bacon. However, you can serve with just melted butter and sour cream, or any similar sauce that you might have in your files. To reduce calories, you can just saute some mushrooms and perhaps have a little sour cream on the side.
• Note3: I've made this with both ground beef and ground pork. I intend to make a cheese filling also, and I think a mushroom filling would also be very good, if you want to keep this vegetarian.
• Note on Servings: We will eat two each, with that making up our entire meal. If you serve with soup, some veggies, etc., in a more usual fashion, you can probably serve 3 or 4 people.
• Cheese filling: Take about 4 ounces of the farmers' cheese and place in a small bowl. Add the minced green top of one scallion, a pinch of salt and about 1 tbl of cooked minced bacon (I just take from the sauce). You might need a little of the bacon grease to help mix it together. Minced mint or tarragon is traditional, but I had none. I mixed it well and divided into six sections. I then divided the dough into six sections. Cheese filled dumplings are traditionally smaller. Make then as above, but form them into round balls - again, the shape is traditional when using a cheese filling. They will take a minute or two less to cook.

FARMER CHEESE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Stir together flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in flour mixture and add egg, oil, and water, then gently beat with a fork, gradually incorporating shallow scrapings from inside flour wall to form a dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface, adding just enough flour to prevent dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Rinse a 2-quart bowl with hot water and dry it, then invert over dough. Let dough stand, covered, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Make cheese filling:
• Stir together farmer cheese, sour cream, egg yolks, salt, and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs in a bowl. Beat egg whites in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold whites into cheese mixture gently but thoroughly.
• Roll and fill dough:
• Bring an 8- to 10-quart pot of salted water (see Tips, page 141) to a boil.
• Meanwhile, cover table with tablecloth, allowing cloth to hang over edges, and dust cloth lightly with flour (it isn't necessary to dust overhang). Lightly flour dough and roll out on cloth with rolling pin, as evenly as possible, into a 24- by 20-inch rectangle, so that a long side of rectangle is nearest you. Dough should be thin enough for you to see any pattern on tablecloth.
• Gently brush dough with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Divide cheese filling into 2 mounds on dough on left and right sides. Spread filling into 2 side-by-side 18- by 10-inch rectangles (with a short side of each cheese rectangle nearest you), leaving a 2-inch space between rectangles and a 1-inch border around outer edges.
• Holding tablecloth edge nearest you tautly, lift up cloth to make dough roll over on itself (away from you). Continue rolling, lifting tablecloth and pulling it toward you until dough is completely rolled (there is no need to use your hands to roll the dough). Cut into 2 rolls through 2-inch space between fillings.
• Carefully transfer 1 roll using a metal spatula onto center of 1 piece of cheesecloth. Fold cheesecloth over roll to cover top and wrap roll, then twist ends of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string about 1 inch from each end. (Excess cloth on ends helps in lifting roll when boiled.) Wrap second roll in same manner.
• Cook rolls in boiling water (rolls will float), partially covered, 15 minutes. Transfer with a large slotted spoon or skimmer to a shallow baking pan and cool 3 minutes. Cut off kitchen string and unwrap cheesecloth, then transfer rolls to a platter with a metal spatula. Trim off and discard ends of rolls, then drizzle rolls with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices.