How to make dough for dumplings. Water dumplings recipes: classic and original

The Urals is considered the birthplace of dumplings - it was from there that this dish came into Russian cuisine. However, similar foods exist in the cuisines of many peoples and have a variety of names, for example, in China they are baozi, in the Caucasus - manti and khinkali, in Italy - ravioli. Dumplings are most often boiled, but they can also be fried, baked or steamed. So let's figure it out...

What is the ideal dough for dumplings?

It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally, since there are a huge number of recipes. Proportions and ingredients may vary, even consistency ready dough. The main thing remains unchanged - the dough must be elastic, obedient, it must be thinly rolled out, not torn during modeling and further cooking.

The five most commonly used ingredients in dumpling dough recipes are:

To make the dough more tender, it is kneaded with milk and butter. The latter is often replaced by vegetable - sunflower or olive. Instead of water and milk, you can use:

• kefir or yogurt
• ryazhenka
• serum
• mineral water

If you add turmeric to the dough, it will turn a beautiful yellow color. You can also add finely chopped dried or fresh herbs. Dumplings in this case will look original and acquire an interesting taste.

It would seem that, plain dough, and what scope for creativity and culinary experiments!

What flour to choose for the test?

In the classic recipe, dumpling dough is prepared from wheat flour, water, eggs and salt. In this case, the flour must be chosen premium, high in gluten. Thanks to this, the dough will be pliable and snow-white. But there are recipes in which other types of flour are added, for example:

• rye
• buckwheat
• rice
• corn

There are options for making dough exclusively with one of the listed types of flour. Dumplings made from this dough are especially suitable for those people who follow a gluten-free diet. These flours contain less gluten (or none at all), making the dough harder to work with and finished goods hold their shape worse. Dumplings from such a dough are recommended to be steamed, but sometimes they are boiled.

Five of the fastest dumpling dough recipes:

Things to remember while cooking

In the old days, recipes for a successful dumpling test and cooking secrets were passed down from generation to generation. Knowing little tricks to cook good dough not difficult:

• flour must be sifted so that it is saturated with oxygen and the dough turns out to be more magnificent and tender,
  water, milk, or other specified liquid should be used warm, except in recipes choux pastry for dumplings,
• dumplings dough must be kneaded well until smooth: it is recommended to knead it for at least 10 minutes,
• the dough must rest for half an hour so that the ingredients combine well with each other and the gluten swells. The resulting dough will be softer and more manageable.

Pelmeni is real wand. Prepared for the future, they will save you time preparing lunch or dinner, which will appeal to everyone without exception. Currently, there are many different recipes not only for the filling, but also for the dough. How not to get lost in this variety for a novice hostess, and what kind of dough to choose for homemade dumplings? A step-by-step recipe with a photo will help you navigate this issue and please your family with a delicious traditional dish.

Homemade dumplings cannot be called primordially Russian. They appeared in our cooking a long time ago, around the 19th century, and at first did not cause much enthusiasm. But during this time, the recipes for both dough and fillings were constantly changing, each housewife added her secrets, passing them on from generation to generation. Gradually, this dish became so fond of that it became traditional on our table and rightfully won the status of the most comfortable family dish. For many, it is associated with the New Year. When, on the eve of the holidays, the whole family gathers at a large table and, at first, sculpts together, and then also eats them together on both cheeks. Without a doubt, dumplings are loved by everyone, both children and adults.

Of course, 90% of the success of this dish depends on the delicious and juicy filling. But the role of the test should not be underestimated. As mentioned above, there are many various ways its preparation, for example: classic, with and without eggs; custard; on milk, on kefir, etc.

For those who are new to the culinary business and do not have an experienced adviser nearby, our step-by-step recipes with photos. It will help you not to get confused and prepare perfect dough for homemade dumplings. In this article, we will go into detail about several recipes, but first I would like to note a few points that are considered mandatory, regardless of the recipe:

1. In order for the dumpling dough to be plastic, not to darken and not fall apart during cooking, you need premium white flour. If you managed to find flour from durum wheat - this is a great success. It has more gluten, so its amount will need a little less, which means that the dough will turn out more tender;
2. Do not be lazy and ignore the advice to sift the flour before kneading the dough. This saturates it with oxygen, which will allow the dough to breathe, it will be more airy and docile; The water should be warm, boiled, this will speed up the process of separating gluten from the flour and speed up the maturation process of the dough;
3. Some experienced housewives It is recommended not to use salt at all in the dough, because they are boiled in salted water. But if you still decide that it is needed, then it is better to add it to the water. So the salt is more evenly distributed over the dough;
4. If you chose a recipe without eggs, vegetable oil will help replace their function;
5. Loose dough loses its shape during cooking, so that this does not happen, it must be sufficiently dense. To achieve greater density, it is kneaded slowly, gradually adding flour, and after kneading they beat it on the table, expelling the remaining air from the voids;
6. When the dough is ready, it must be allowed to rest. To do this, place it in a plastic bag or film for 30-40 minutes.

So let's get straight to the recipes...

Dough for homemade dumplings without eggs: a step by step recipe with a photo

The benefits of this recipe are obvious. Firstly, it is economical, and all the ingredients are always at hand. Secondly, it is great for meatless dumplings, using the appropriate filling (for example, fish or vegetables). The dough is soft and stretchy well. And, contrary to fears, it does not lose its shape and does not boil in water!

Of the products we need only:

• water - 300 ml;
• wheat flour - 450 gr;
• salt - 1/2 tsp

1. Pour 300 ml of warm boiled water into a deep plate, pour salt (optional) and stir until it is completely dissolved;
   Then, sift the flour and begin to gradually combine it with water. When the dough is already thick enough, it can be transferred to a floured board and continue kneading by hand.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. The result should be a dense, but plastic dough that does not stick to your hands. If the dough is still sticky, try adding a couple of tablespoons of butter and knead thoroughly again.
   
   
   
   
3. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or place in a bag and leave for 20-30 minutes. After that, you can start sculpting.
   
   

Classic dumpling dough

The most common recipe, it is equally suitable for dumplings and dumplings, and even for egg noodles. Plus, the dough keeps well in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Ingredients:

• flour - 0.5 kg;
• water -250 ml;
• chicken egg - 1 pc.;
• salt - 1⁄2 tsp
• sunflower oil - 1 tbsp.

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl. We make a recess in the center, it looks like a volcano crater;
2. Pour salted water into this hole and drive in an egg;
3. Now we slowly begin to mix with our hands, gradually taking the flour along the edges of the “crater”.
4. As it thickens, add the oil and knead the tight elastic dough.
5. We lightly beat it on the table and, covering it with a film, leave it to rest. After half an hour, you can start cooking dumplings.

Kefir dough

Such a dough for homemade dumplings can be prepared on any sour-milk basis. Kefir is easily replaced with curdled milk or sour cream. The dough is strong, does not boil soft and has a more pronounced taste. But in order for the result to please you, pay attention to some nuances: Firstly, all ingredients must be at room temperature; Secondly, soda and salt are necessarily added to the liquid, but not to the flour; For a liquid of a thicker consistency (for example, sour cream), the amount of flour may differ significantly from the indicated amount.

Grocery list:

• kefir - 500 ml;
• flour - 3.5 tbsp.;
• chicken egg - 1 pc.;
• salt and soda - 1⁄2 tsp each;
• sunflower oil - 1 tbsp.

1. Mix kefir with salt, soda, egg and butter.
2. We sift the flour, and in small parts we begin to add to the liquid mass, kneading first with a spoon, and then with our hands.
3. If necessary, add flour to the desired consistency, the dough should not stick to your hands, but should be soft and docile.
4. Let stand 15-30 min. and you can cook.

Notes:

If you use this version of the dough, but without eggs, you should take about half a cup less flour.

If instead of kefir you use sour cream or thick natural yogurt, then the amount of flour also decreases.

Choux pastry for dumplings

If you have already mastered all the previous recipe options, we suggest you try the acrobatic culinary arts - choux pastry for dumplings. Made from the same products, but in a special way, it will open for you new taste such a familiar dish.

So, we will need:

• water - 1.5 tbsp.;
• wheat flour - 3 tbsp.;
• chicken egg - 1 pc.;
• salt - 1⁄2 tsp;
• vegetable oil - 1 tbsp.

1. In boiling water, put salt, oil and pour half the flour in a thin stream, stirring vigorously;
2. Remove from heat, transfer to a larger bowl, let the dough cool slightly (so that you can knead by hand);
3. When the dough has cooled down a little, we drive in the egg and carefully knead;
4. Add the rest of the flour and knead into a tight dough.
5. Let's insist on room temperature 20 minutes.

Choux pastry, like the classic one, can be prepared without eggs. You can replace water with milk. In these cases, only the amount of flour will change, and the algorithm of actions will remain the same.

As you can see, there are a lot of options for making dough for homemade dumplings. The article presents only a few basic recipes, With step by step description and photo. Perhaps among them is your signature recipe for this incredibly delicious dish.

DOUGH

The dough is what makes the dumpling a dumpling. The classic recipe includes flour, salt, water and eggs, which make the dumpling dough dense and help it keep its shape and not boil in water.
When kneading dumpling dough it is very important not to "overdo it" with the liquid. It should be tough and elastic. It is necessary to knead it so that later it can be rolled into thin layers. I think everyone will agree with me: dumplings in thin dough- the most delicious.
In the old days, the dough was kneaded by eye. They sifted the flour through a sieve, then poured it out on the table in a slide, and then made a funnel in the middle of the slide. Separately, the eggs were mixed with water and salt and poured into this recess in a thin stream.
Then the liquid was mixed, gradually taking the flour along the entire circumference from the edges to the middle. And knead for a long time so that the dough absorbs as much flour as possible.
This method requires a lot of skill and experience. The hostess should “feel” the dough: if necessary, add flour or water. But what if the skills are still sparse?
All my baking experience suggests that the best dough is obtained when you immediately measure exactly as much water and flour as required. In this case, the dough will immediately turn out to be the desired density, and, therefore, it will not have to be long and tediously kneaded, knocked out on the table, and so on.
Tip: After mixing all the ingredients, leave the dough for 20 minutes at room temperature. The fact is that gluten (that component of flour that is responsible for flexibility and elasticity) swells during this period. After that, it will be much easier for you to knead the dough.

Try not to add milk to the dumplings. Because of the milk, the dumplings boil quickly, and the broth becomes cloudy.
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Recipe 1. Classic
Would need:
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 heaping teaspoon salt
Water

In order not to violate the proportions of the recipe, use the same glass to measure flour and water.
Break three eggs into a glass, add salt and top up with water to the rim. Stir the resulting mixture. Pour the liquid into a large bowl or saucepan and add three cups of all-purpose flour. Stir with a fork and leave for 20 minutes for the gluten to swell.
Then put the dough on the table, lightly greased with vegetable oil. Mix well. If everything is done correctly, then the dough will be kneaded very easily, without special efforts so you don't have to add flour or water.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
From this amount of dough, you will get from 100 to 120 dumplings (depending on their size).
Always measure flour for recipes with full glasses. To do this, collect mkuk in a glass with a slide, and then smooth along the edge, removing excess.

For lean dumplings and dumplings, eggs must be excluded from the dough. To do this, I start the dough in cold, but boiled water. Don't ask me why the water has to be boiled - I can't explain. But the fact that it is on such water that the dough turns out much better than on ordinary, raw water has been repeatedly verified by me.

Recipe 2. Lean
Would need:
3 cups flour
1 glass of cold boiled water
1 heaping teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dissolve salt in water. Pour the flour into a bowl, then pour in the water, stir the dough with a fork so that it lags behind the walls of the dish and leave for 20-30 minutes.
Then put the dough on the table, pour over the oil and knead until the dough becomes smooth and absorbs all the oil. Put the finished dough in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Try to choose flour for dough of the highest or first grade, made in accordance with GOST. Flour with the designation TU (technical specifications) can let you down: as a rule, the norms of gluten and moisture in such flour do not meet the standards.

These are the two main recipes that I will constantly return to in this book. There are many more different ways to prepare dumplings, for example, custard (kundyum) dough. But I will talk about this directly in the recipe.

So, the dough is ready, the filling too. It remains the most important and time-consuming - to form (blind) dumplings. And here, too, there are several ways.

Method 1. Antique
Divide the finished dough into several parts. Roll each part of the dough with your hands into a thin bundle, with a diameter of no more than 2 centimeters. Then, with a knife, cut the tourniquet into equal pieces about 1-1.5 centimeters thick. Roll them in flour from the side of the cuts and roll each piece with a rolling pin into a thin round cake.

Method 2. Modern
Transfer the dough to a table sprinkled with a thin layer of flour. Roll out into one thin layer no more than 1-2 millimeters thick. With a suitable glass or thin glass, cut out identical circles from the dough. Scraps of dough can be gathered into a ball, let stand for a few minutes, and then rolled out again.

Place a portion of the filling in the middle of each circle of dough. Then fold the dough in half, stuffing inside, in the shape of a crescent. Pinch the edges of the dough, that is, press down with your fingers so that they stick together. It is important that there are no holes left in the dumpling - otherwise it may fall apart during cooking. Connect the corners and give the dumplings a round shape. In this case, the filling should be in the center, and the pinched edges should be around the circumference.
Place the finished dumplings in even rows on a floured board.
If you are not going to cook dumplings right away, you can freeze the dough board in the freezer, and then pour all the dumplings into a bag and store frozen.

Method 3. "Lazy"
You can also form dumplings with the help of a special device - dumplings, which is an aluminum or plastic board with holes.
If you are going to use a dumpling, roll out two thin sheets of dough slightly larger than the size of the dumpling. Spread one of them on a floured dumpling and press down a little so that the indentations for the stuffing are clearly visible. Then spread the filling into each indentation. Put another rolled out layer of dough on top, sprinkle with flour and roll well with a rolling pin over the entire surface. The dough should be cut into ledges. Turn the pelmeni upside down and shake it so that the pelmeni fall out onto the table.

There are subtleties and secrets in cooking dumplings.
It is believed that the optimal ratio for cooking is 4 liters of water per 1 kilogram of dumplings. I do not advise you to cook a lot of dumplings at once. This is exactly the case when you should not save time, otherwise your work may go down the drain.
At one time, you need to cook exactly as many dumplings as they can freely float on the surface of the water. Therefore, be guided by the diameter of the pan, and not by accepted norms. In order for all dumplings to cook evenly and not lose their shape, they should in no case be cooked in “several floors”. Yes, and it is better when they float freely on the surface, without clinging tightly to each other.
Dumplings and dumplings are boiled by dipping into boiling water. Put a saucepan of water on the fire, if the filling is unsweetened, then salt the water at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 2 liters of water. Wait for a rapid boil and start lowering the dumplings one by one or several pieces into boiling water. Beware of boiling splashes. At the same time, with a slotted spoon or a large spoon, slowly stir the dumplings in the water. After a couple of minutes, be sure to stir the contents of the pan again, otherwise the dumplings may stick to the bottom.
Wait for the moment when all the dumplings float to the surface of the water and cook for the time indicated in the recipe.
Take out the finished dumplings with a slotted spoon - so that the glass is excess water. Pelmeni are served in deep and wide bowls. In order for them not to stick together, they must be seasoned with butter or vegetable oil and mixed. If oil is not provided in the recipe, then be sure to stir the dumplings after a few minutes.
I never stir ready-made dumplings with a spoon. I just take the bowl and shake it a little. This method is especially good when there are a lot of dumplings in a bowl at once - for several servings. In this case, shake it every time you add another batch of freshly brewed dumplings.

In the water for cooking meat or vegetable dumplings, in addition to salt, add a few peas of black or allspice and one or two bay leaves.

You can cook dumplings in almost any pan. Remember your student days - you probably heard a story about how one of your friends cooked dumplings in an electric kettle.
I have my own story about this.
We have just moved into a working hostel. We were terribly hungry and in the very first store we bought several packs of dumplings - ugly, gray, frozen. And then someone remembered that we have no other utensils, except for the official carafe and tea cups.
We were embarrassed to borrow a pot from the elders and went to a hardware store. Alas, there were no pots. But on the shelves in long rows were enameled children's pots with lids. "Night vase" - was listed on the price tag. After conferring, we bought a “vase” and argued for a long time who would carry it to the hostel. At the door of the common kitchen, we posted a guard - so that none of the outsiders could see what we cook our dinner in.
Subsequently, they acquired both pots and pans, but the “vase” was never thrown away. And if one of the guests asked in surprise: “Girls, why do you need a chamber pot?”, We looked at each other and laughed to tears.

Why add eggs? Eggs, which are part of the dough, make it stronger and denser. This is necessary when the products are boiled in water or broth.

How much water to add to 1 cup of flour and 1 egg? Preferably no more than 3 tablespoons. If you add more, the dough will be easier to knead and roll out. But products cooked with excess water will not retain their shape and keep the filling, but will boil soft. The steeper you knead the dough, the better the finished product will come out.

Why is salt added to the dough? Dough with the addition of salt becomes more tasty and fragrant. In addition, salt has an increased hygroscopicity and is able to absorb water and retain it, which means that the products will turn out to be softer and more delicate in taste.

Start preparing the dough

How to cook unleavened dough?

Recently I saw a recipe for dumplings, in which the preparation of the dough was said in just one line: “Mix an egg, a glass of flour, a pinch of salt and 2-4 tbsp. water and roll out the dumpling dough. Technically, the author of the recipe does not deceive in anything - this is how unleavened dough is prepared. However, the hostess who decides to follow this recipe and cook dumplings will most likely get dumplings that taste rough and come apart at the seams when cooked. Because the most important part is omitted in the recipe - cooking technology unleavened dough for dumplings. So that there are no such situations, and dumplings turn out tasty and correct, I want to tell in detail and show what, how and, most importantly, why.

Step one - sift the flour on a wooden board in a slide, make a recess in the top of the slide and drive an egg into the recess. Then add one, maximum two tablespoons of water, salt, quickly knead the dough with both hands so that the liquid does not spill out of the recess. To do this, the flour must be evenly collected from the foot of the hill and poured into the recess. Moreover, the flour must not only be poured, but pressed with force against the liquid so that it is absorbed and forms a dough. What for? - To make the dough uniform in structure, without lumps.

How long to knead the dough? The hardest part is kneading the dough. Since it should turn out to be tight, then this will require some physical effort. If the husband is not busy at this moment, then I ask him to take part in this and knead the dough for 5 minutes. If you have to do it yourself, then it takes about 15 minutes.

kneaded dough

Knead the resulting dough well and roll into a ball, wrap in cling film(towel) and leave to soak for 40 minutes. For what? Aged dough becomes more elastic and easier to roll out.

How to roll out dough for dumplings thinly? The thinner the better. In any case, the thickness should not exceed 1 mm. Properly kneaded dough will not tear or stick to the rolling pin and board.

If you look closely, you can see in the photo how the pattern of the table is visible through the rolled out dough.

How to roll out the dough? Rolling should be carried out from the middle of the dough to the edges, periodically turning the dough over. The direction of rolling needs to be changed. Then the dough will turn out evenly thin over the entire surface.

Can you put flour on the dough? Properly kneaded dough does not need additional flour. But if the dough was prepared in violation of technology, then such a need may arise. In this case, it is better not to pour flour on the dough, as excess flour will make it difficult to roll out the dough and make it dry. If the dough starts to stick to the board or rolling pin, sprinkle a thin layer of flour on the board.

What to do if the dough starts to dry out? Since the dough contains little water, if the hostess lingers in the kitchen, it will begin to dry out, especially when rolled out. To prevent this, you need to roll out, add stuffing and sculpt products (dumplings, dumplings, etc.) quickly. It is from this need, and not from the long winter Siberian evenings and idleness, that the tradition of making dumplings with the whole family comes. If an emergency occurs, then the dough must be rolled into a ball and covered for 20 minutes with a damp (not wet!) Napkin.

What should be the finished unleavened dough? When rolled out, the dough should be as thin as paper, elastic and smooth to the touch. The color of the dough should be yellow-gray. In the photo, I deliberately put the rolled dough on my hand and raised it a little to show what quality the dough should be: it fits the hand like a rubber glove.

I'm ready to fall on my knees Before the one who invented dumplings. (I couldn't find the author, no matter how I googled it.)

Who, what, where, why, when - I propose to leave questions about the "nationality" of dumplings, their origin and other controversial topics for later. If we now delve into the wilds of history, finding out in which country they first came up with the idea of ​​​​boiling minced meat wrapped in pieces of dough, the conversation will turn into long, many hours of debate, as a result of which no one will change their mind anyway, remaining confident in their rightness.

Therefore, first we will cook homemade dumplings, set the table, and only then we will talk about the controversial one. About fillings and modeling methods, size and dough for dumplings. And about who, where, how and with what serves. And even a little about the origin of dumplings.

WHAT IS THE ARTICLE ABOUT?

Filling for dumplings

Dumplings start with minced meat. It is on him that 80% of success depends - if the products are of poor quality, and the work is sloppy, the taste of dumplings will not only worsen, but become terrible. The filling is the heart of the dumpling, so let's cook it with soul, put a bunch of good thoughts into it and many, many wishes of happiness and health to everyone who sits at your table this evening.

Classics of the genre - homemade dumplings with minced meat, however, the classics, although consistently good, often become boring and boring. Let's remember what else can be hidden in dumplings.

Classic minced meat

• 0.5 kg pork tenderloin;
• 0.5 kg of beef fillet;
• 2 large onions;
• salt, pepper to taste.

Wash the meat, clean it from the films, twist it into minced meat together with the onion. Mix well, salt and pepper and leave for half an hour. After this time, add half a glass of water, mix the minced meat and proceed to sculpt dumplings.

minced fish

• 1 kg of fish fillet;
• 2 onions;

Peel the onion, cut into small cubes and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.
Twist the boned fish in a meat grinder and mix with onions. Salt, pepper and start making dumplings.

minced chicken

• 1 kg chicken fillet;
• 3 art. l. sour cream;
• half a glass of milk;
• salt pepper.

My meat and twist in a meat grinder. Add salt, pepper, sour cream, milk and mix well. Minced meat is ready, you can start sculpting dumplings.

Mushroom mince

• 1 kg of forest mushrooms;
• 3-4 bulbs;
• vegetable oil, salt, pepper.

We clean the mushrooms, boil until tender. Cut into random pieces and fry well in vegetable oil. We twist in a meat grinder.
Cut the onion into cubes and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Mix with twisted mushrooms, add salt and pepper. Done, you can start sculpting dumplings.

Cheese mince

• 0.8 kg of cottage cheese;
• 0.2 kg soft cheese(feta, cheese);
• 2 large bunches of herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro);
• salt, pepper to taste.

Twist cottage cheese and cheese in a meat grinder, mix with finely chopped herbs and salt. You can add pepper if you like. Everything, forward, to the machine, we begin to sculpt dumplings.

In addition to the options listed, you can use any other stuffing. I ate homemade dumplings with tomatoes and cheese, sea ​​kale and boiled eggs, potatoes and champignons, elk and horse meat, vegetarian dumplings with carrots, cabbage and celery, pumpkin and onions. I ate, but I can’t say that at least one of them responded in my soul with gentle awe and delight: nevertheless, only a bowl with the same dumplings can be better than a plate of ordinary dumplings with minced meat!

Dough for dumplings

The remaining 20% ​​of the success of the cooked dumplings will be given to the test. No, of course, a hundred other factors are important (the hands of the hostess, mood, water, serving, table, company ....), but, speaking, discarding emotions, the remaining 20% ​​is still taken by flour and water - the basic components of dumplings test. Plus eggs and butter if you add them.

Mistresses often argue over whose dumpling dough is better. I think this is better than the one that has taken root in your kitchen. To which your family is accustomed, the recipe of which has been worked out to the smallest detail, and therefore we love and are ready to be inherited by our daughter or daughter-in-law, along with Chinese porcelain and great-grandmother's silver earrings.

I'll probably start with classic version, from the test on the water without eggs. That's what my mother-in-law does. Below is her direct speech. And then I’ll tell you about my mom’s recipe - a recipe for dumplings on eggs.

Dough for dumplings - a recipe on the water

“Flour and water. All. By properly mixing just two ingredients (well, it’s true, salt still doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t count), you can get a great, smooth, elastic dough that no one else in the area has equal!

Sharing their secrets of the “correct” test, housewives advise adding a little vegetable oil, eggs, milk to the water - each has its own “zest”, I prefer the minimalist style - it has been tested for decades and more than one generation of eaters in our family. Milk, in my opinion, does not make any taste changes, the egg is an excessive wastefulness, which also leads to coarsening of the dough. I am ready to allow more oil, but at the same time I fully realize that it is also superfluous. That's just superfluous - that's all, believe my experience.

Regular dumpling dough
The classic version is the simplest, most affordable and most commonly used.

Ingredients:

• 1 glass of water;
• 3 cups flour;
• 1 tsp salt.

How to cook dumpling dough

Sift the flour into a bowl, make a well in the top, add the salt and pour out the water.

We knead the dough - as a result of your efforts, you should get a smooth, pleasant ball, which, when cut, does not leave marks on the knife, does not stick to it, and gives a smooth glossy surface on the cut. In addition, the dough should not be blurry, but not too tight.

You may need a little more or a little less flour - a lot depends on its quality and gluten. Focus on your feelings and intuition - no one, not a single recipe will give you the exact ratio of flour and water.

The finished dough must be wrapped in a plastic bag (or closed in another way, see photo) and left at room temperature for 30-40 minutes - this simple manipulation will make it even smoother, more elastic and easier to work with.

What do you object?

It really does make a great dough. Flexible, gentle. The correct ratio of water and flour gives an extraordinary result. However, you need to know my mother. She disagrees:

“The dough in the work is uninteresting, it tastes like rubber. How can you eat it? Unless with the total disappearance of chickens! Or high cholesterol forbids eating eggs? Classic recipe- this is my recipe, write down:

Dough for dumplings with eggs

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup water (moderately warm)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vegetable oil (sometimes)
• ½ tsp salt

Then everything is as usual: I pour out the flour in a slide, make a recess in it in the form of a funnel and add water, oil, break an egg into the funnel. Gradually knead. I add flour until the dough starts to lag behind my hand, but I never make it cool. The ingredients indicate fairly accurate proportions, it is not necessary to have intuition, which is especially important for beginners - where does their intuition come from?

I use vegetable oil if I sculpt “with a margin” and I know that I will freeze a part - with oil, the dough does not dry for a long time and does not crack when frozen.

Vegetarian dumplings dough made from "hard" flour

Which side am I on? I used to be on my mother's, but since I became a vegetarian, I cook like a mother-in-law, that's just ... I buy at Auchan French flour from durum wheat, I mix with premium flour and knead the dough, based on the ratio of 250 g of flour per 100 g of water. That's all: strict science of mathematics and perfect dough - no hint of "kissel", rather "pasta from Italy".

A few more popular dumpling dough recipes

Custard dumpling dough

The dough according to this recipe is easier to work with, it practically does not require additional flour for rolling and cutting circles, however, its taste is far from classic - it seems a little viscous, too tender, more “wet” or even raw. However, it is worth a try - at least in order to understand how it is more convenient and easier for you to work.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of flour;
• 1 cup boiling water;
• 3 art. l. vegetable oil;
• 0.5 tsp salt.

How to cook custard dough for dumplings
Mix salt with flour, sift and pour into a bowl. We make a funnel, pour in oil and boiling water. Knead first with a fork, then with your hands. Knead the dough well on the table - it should not stick to surfaces at all and be very, very pleasant to the hands.

Dough for dumplings on kefir

Another easy recipe. Also two ingredients, but instead of water, kefir. We take 400 g of flour for a glass of kefir and we are not in a hurry. Pour the kefir into a bowl, add half a serving of flour there and gently knead with a spoon. Then gradually pour in the rest and knead the dough with your hands. This dough should also rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, and preferably more.

The peculiarity of kefir dumplings is that you don’t roll it out too thin, but it turns out to be very soft.

Modeling dumplings

To stick a mountain of homemade dumplings, you can roll the dough into a thin layer and cut circles out of it with a glass. The rest of the dough is again collected in a lump and kneaded again, then rolled out and again turned into blanks for dumplings. This is certainly the most correct and elegant option, but also time-consuming.

You can go a simpler way - roll the finished dough into a "sausage" of small diameter,

cut it into pieces of relatively the same size,

roll each piece into a small circle, from which to sculpt a dumpling.

First, spread the minced meat with a spoon (the required amount is clearly visible in the picture),

Having folded the cake in half, pinch the edges like a dumpling,

after which the dumpling should show a gymnastic class, once again curled in half, and then a ball with joined edges.

The option, in general, is wonderful - provided that you can cut the same pieces of dough by eye: different-sized dumplings look rather messy.

The third way is to use all kinds of dumplings.

Simple, fast, but the look...

If the illusion of store-bought gray dumplings with an indistinct filling instead of minced meat does not bother you, then pick up useful devices and go!

Size matters

Have you ever heard about the Crimean Karaites? The indigenous inhabitants of the Crimea can also boast of their own prototypes of dumplings - in their cuisine there is a dish called "hamur-dolma" - in rich broth miniature pieces of dough are served, in which tiny portions of minced meat are hidden. So, the Karaites still believe that at least 8 small dumplings should fit in a standard tablespoon. Eight, can you imagine? This is not a typo or hyperbole - a real Karaite hostess cuts circles from dough ... with her wedding ring.

But I don’t have a clear, consistent opinion about Siberian dumplings. They say that once they were huge, almost the size of a palm. But there is other evidence as well. My family has preserved memories of a great-grandmother who spent a significant part of her childhood in Siberia - from there she brought stories about milk, which grannies sell wrapped in a rag in winter (they pour it into bowls, freeze it, take it out and carry it to the markets already without containers), about breastfeeding children laid down on a down pillow and covered with a down blanket at night, and about homemade dumplings, of course. They say that the size of the finished dumpling should be no larger than the phalanx of the little finger. Better yet, less!

Of course, no one expects you to immediately rush to look for suitable decorations to practice making dumplings of the right size. Nevertheless, it’s still not worth sculpting thugs in the size of XXXL, because we are talking about dumplings, not about pasties.

Cooking secrets

Remember the bearded joke about the "common" way? If you want to be known as a gourmet, put a bay leaf in the water in which dumplings will be cooked.

So, regardless of where you live and whether you plan to be known as a gourmet, I advise you not to forget about the "laurel" - it, of course, will not radically change the taste ready meal, however, it will add an elusive subtle note to the overall aroma.

In addition to bay leaf, it’s a good idea to add a few peas of allspice to the water for cooking homemade dumplings.

Yes, and most importantly - salt! Do not forget to salt the water for dumplings - if you boil them in fresh water, it will be insipid, mean, sad and dreary.

You need to take a large pot for cooking - gentlemen Pelmeni should feel at ease, nothing should limit their freedom of movement. In addition, they love when no one invades their intimate area. Hey, calmly, without fanaticism: it’s not worth lowering the boiler into a bathtub filled with water, just a large pot is enough.

We collect water - two-thirds of the volume, salt, add bay leaf and pepper, cover with a lid and wait until the water boils. Only after that we lay the dumplings - no, no, not all in a crowd, you should not pour them into the pan in bulk! Everyone needs attention - so we take each one in our hand and separately throw it into the pan.

We stir occasionally. Do not overdo it! Loose porridge you still won’t succeed, it’s enough if the dumplings just don’t stick to the bottom.

Did the dumplings float? Alright, just a minute more and…. did the water boil? We reduce the heat and let the dumplings boil for 5-7 minutes, and then we begin to remove them from the pan. If you cooked frozen dumplings, let them cook for a minute or two more, and then take them out anyway. If you feel very, very insecure, find the largest dumpling in the pan, fish it out, put it on a plate and cut it in half. Is the dough cooked? Is the meat raw? Well, so quickly get the rest of the comrades!

Innings

When taking dumplings out of the water, do not be greedy and put a couple of spoons in a bowl butter- it will significantly enrich the taste and will not allow your dinner to stick together in one big "dumpling".

And then creativity begins. Why don't they eat homemade dumplings! Luxurious mother-of-pearl sour cream - rustic, fatty, delicate ... Yellow butter - soft, enveloping, rich ... Unpopular and thoroughly offended by all mayonnaise - spicy, velvety, shiny. Viscous, fragrant mustard - sharp, burning, proud. Bright tomato ketchup- rich, spicy, tender. Vinegar, even flat in taste, but incredibly sour, sharp, prickly vinegar - even he managed to win thousands of supporters in the fight for dumplings accompaniment.

Do not be lazy - if a large family gathers at the table, most likely there will be lovers of yoghurt sauce with garlic, and tomato mixture with herbs, and butter, sour cream, mayonnaise. Carry everything you have! You will not regret.

Dumplings are a rather heavy meal, so some vegetable salad, greens, broth. It is clear that it is unlikely that anyone will exchange the main course for lighter options, however, even if you eat at least a little bit of vegetables or drink just a little broth, the stomach will already feel better. In general, your task is to try to make the dumplings "accompaniment" look as appetizing as the signature dish.

Options and variations of dumpling recipes

In addition to the traditional version of boiled dumplings, you can also find a bunch of non-standard ways of preparing this dish. Of course, the phrase "if you are tired classic dumplings” sounds somewhat ironic and even mocking, but still - if you are tired of ordinary dumplings or if you want to try something new, use one of the above recipes - and you will not regret it!

dumplings in a pot

Do you think dumplings can be made even more luxurious? Quite! Bake them in pots - and you will get a holiday, celebration and delight.

Ingredients for 1 serving: 15-20 ready dumplings, 2-3 tbsp. l. butter, 3-4 tbsp. l. low-fat sour cream, 50 g hard cheese, a few sprigs of herbs, salt, pepper.

How to cook dumplings in pots. Boil dumplings until cooked, put in a greased pot, add the remaining oil, sprinkle with chopped herbs and pour sour cream. Sprinkle with grated hard cheese, cover with a lid and put in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Fried dumplings

But here you are no longer deceitful: nevertheless fried dumplings- a dish with Chinese-Asian roots. Delicious and rich - tender juicy minced meat hidden under the crispy crust of the dough. Amazing!

Ingredients for 1 serving: 15-20 dumplings, 1 glass of vegetable oil.

How to cook fried dumplings. Pour the oil into a small bowl or saucepan. Warm up well. Dip dumplings into it and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on disposable paper towels. Serve hot.
Delicious with soy sauce.

lazy dumplings

And what to do if the dumplings are fearful as you want, but time is just running out? Then you gotta cook lazy dumplings!

Dough Ingredients: 3 cups flour, 1 cup water, 1 tsp. salt.

Minced meat ingredients: 400 g of meat (pork, beef or a combination), 1 onion, salt, pepper to taste.

Sauce Ingredients: 1.5 cups of low-fat sour cream, 0.5 cups of water, 3 cloves of garlic, salt, dry herbs to taste.

How to cook lazy dumplings
Cooking minced meat - we twist the meat and onions, salt, pepper and knead well.
From these ingredients, we knead a soft, non-sticky dough, leave it to “rest” for half an hour, after which we roll it into a rectangle, the length of which is much greater than its width.
We spread the minced meat on the dough, distribute it evenly over the entire surface, leaving 2 cm from the wide edge. Roll up into a roll. Cut into portions, transfer to a baking dish.
We mix sour cream with water, garlic, salt and herbs, pour lazy dumplings with the resulting sauce. Bake until tender - temperature 180 degrees, time - 30 minutes.
Bon lazy appetite!

Do you know...

How many names do dumplings have?

Indeed, how much? Boraki, poses, dyushbara, podkogylo, jiao-tzu, kundums, sorcerers - all these are dumplings, and everyone has their own "bearded" story. The conversation is insane, the argument is not constructive, and yet I propose to talk at least a little, the topic is very fertile!

Ravioli

Italians, eating pasta richly sprinkled with parmesan, will smile broadly and emotionally cut off: the first was ravioli, and no nails ... dumplings! Then they pour themselves another glass of wine and, smiling again, simply turn the conversation to another topic: why argue, if everything is clear anyway: in the beginning it was C ... ravioli!

Khinkali

Georgians and Azerbaijanis will hospitably invite you to a table bursting with all kinds of food. They will pour thick wine, make a toast - of course, for those wonderful ancestors who came up with amazing tasty dish- khinkali. They will pour again - both for themselves and for you, of course, and when you decide to insert a word about no less wonderful ancestors who invented dumplings, they will quickly and very good-naturedly interrupt and again make a toast - even more ornate and confusing. You will get lost in the wilds of verbal intricacies and before you have time to recover, you will almost believe that khinkali were the firstborn.

Wontons

The laconic Chinese will make tea and keep silent, but you will feel with your skin that there is nothing in this world older than wontons. Except China itself.

Gedze

The Japanese, in response to this, will knead the dough for rice flour, put on luxurious gedze and, taking out a bottle of sake, start a long conversation about the Emperor, talk about the chrysanthemum festival and quote Basho. Not a word will be said about dumplings, not a half a word about dumpling dough, but you will leave the table with a strong feeling that you have been convinced for two hours that all the salt is in the gedza, the rest is dust.

Vareniki

Generous and cheerful Ukrainians will look at you in bewilderment and will not understand at all what kind of dumplings we can talk about, even if the great Gogol once and for all clearly and clearly described how to eat dumplings, with what and when. And dumplings - well, then just homemade dumplings, where do they care about homemade dumplings, to which they even erect monuments in Ukraine!

Manti

Tatars and Mongols, Kazakhs and Turks will chop minced meat from the shoulder, stick manti for the horde and say how they will cut it off: there was nothing until they were there, but when sheep, onions and manti appeared, then, maybe, someone where I accidentally came up with some dumplings.

Etc.

Homemade dumplings as a way to unite the family

Try to buy three or four kilograms of meat (do not waste time, less is not interesting, not that calico), twist it into minced meat. Make dumpling dough. Gather the whole family - aunt, uncle, godmother, godfather, brother, matchmaker. Do not forget about Baba Olya - she, of course, is a hundred years old at lunchtime, but without her the family will not be so bright and cheerful.

And start worship. Let someone roll out the dumpling dough, someone cut out circles, the third one collects the rest of the dough into a lump and knead it again, and the fourth one fills the blanks with minced meat. The fifth can be entrusted with gluing dumplings, and the sixth - laying them out on the board. After 10 minutes, as in the Mad Tea Party, change places, roles, tasks. And again - in a circle: roll, cut, fill, collect, glue ...

Under the molding of homemade dumplings, you definitely need to talk - gossip about Katya, who ignored the family event, because she fell in love with a “real goat” and rode off with him on a date. About Verka, Petka, Svetka. About the prices of dill and the best sauerkraut throughout the village. You can talk about female strength and ancestral knowledge, fortune telling on eggs and ways to remove the evil eye. Discuss the new priest at your local temple and talk about the children who are acting up in church while waiting for the sacrament. Talk about anything - the main thing is that the chatter gives pleasure and brings joy: otherwise the dumplings will not be tasty, it has been checked a million times!

Do not forget to hide a nut, a couple of black peppercorns or a slice of chocolate instead of minced meat in a few dumplings - and for the one who pulls out the “lucky ticket”, be sure to think over a prize or a forfeit. An innocent prank, but it brings the family together so much! Believe me, you will remember for more than one year in a row how grandfather Sergei grimaced after eating a dumpling with carrots, and the young Vitka grunted in disappointment, biting through the “happy dumpling” with dough inside instead of minced meat.

Eh, I've been sitting at the computer for a while. I’m going to cook myself a plate of dumplings - fortunately, there is always a supply of this wonderful invention of mankind in the freezer!