Pelmeni

Method

1. 1.Make the dough first so it has time to rest. Tip the flour into a bowl with the salt, crack in the egg and add the water a splash at a time, bringing it together with your hands until you have a firm, slightly tacky dough. Knead for five or six minutes until smooth, then wrap it and leave it on the counter for at least half an hour.
2. 2.While the dough rests, make the filling. Mix the beef and pork together in a bowl — pelmeni really do want both, the beef for flavour and the pork for fat — and grate the onion in on the fine side of a box grater so it almost dissolves into the meat. Season generously with salt, a lot of black pepper, and a tablespoon or two of ice water to keep the filling tender.
3. 3.Roll the dough out as thin as you can manage without tearing it — about 2 mm — in batches, keeping the rest wrapped so it doesn't dry out. Cut circles with a small glass or a biscuit cutter, around 6 cm across.
4. 4.Drop a small teaspoon of filling into the middle of each circle. Resist the urge to overfill; they'll burst in the water if you do. Fold the circle in half around the filling and pinch the edges together firmly, then bring the two corners around and pinch them together so you get the classic little ear shape.
5. 5.Lay the finished pelmeni out on a floured tray as you go. If you're making a big batch, freeze half of them flat on the tray before bagging them up — they cook straight from frozen and you'll thank yourself on a tired weeknight.
6. 6.Bring a big pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the pelmeni in in batches, give them a gentle stir so they don't stick, and cook for about four minutes from when they float to the top.
7. 7.Lift them out with a slotted spoon into warmed bowls. Toss each portion with a generous knob of butter so they glisten, and serve with a big spoonful of sour cream, a scatter of dill and a good grind of pepper. Vinegar and mustard on the side for anyone who wants them.

Notes