Cepelinai is a traditional Lithuanian potato dumpling filled with meat, mushrooms, or dry curd. It is time-consuming to prepare and served with a sauce made of pork rinds, fried bacon, and sour cream or milk. Other cultures have similar potato dumplings.
Cepelinai, also known as Didžkukuliai, is a traditional Lithuanian potato dumpling that is typically filled with meat, mushrooms or dry curd. The word Cepelinai means “zeppelin” in English; the dish is so named because its shape is similar to the airship. It is one of the more savory versions of the many stuffed potato dumplings common in different cultures around the world.
Preparing cepelinai is a very time consuming process. A typical recipe consists of three basic parts: the dumpling dough, the filling, and the sauce. Essentially, the dough is filled with filling and formed into dumplings, which are then simmered for several minutes and served with or topped with sauce.
The filling for cepalinai is usually prepared first. A common recipe might include ground or chopped beef, onion, egg, and simple seasonings like salt and pepper. These ingredients are mixed and set aside.
Next, the dumpling mixture is prepared. It consists of a base of boiled, peeled and grated potatoes, which are squeezed through cheesecloth to remove excess moisture. They are then mixed with the onions and seasonings to make a paste.
Cepelinai dumplings are prepared by first making a ball of dough. This is flattened out and the filling mixture is added to the centre. Then the dough is folded around the filling and sealed closed. The completed dumplings are boiled in salted water.
The size of cepelinai dumplings varies between different regions. The versions in eastern Lithuanian counties are smaller than those found in the west. In general, a dumpling measures approximately 10-20cm in length.
Once the dumplings have been boiled, cepelinai are typically served with a sauce made of ingredients such as pork rinds, fried bacon, and sour cream or milk. It can be served poured over the dumplings or on the side to add as desired. The meats can also be used to garnish dumplings.
Many other cultures also have a traditional potato dumpling. In Norway, a version called raspeball is half-raw, half-cooked potatoes and stuffed with salted pork or lamb. A Swedish version known as kroppkaka is typically filled with fried bacon or pork and onion and served with cranberry jam, butter, or cream. There is also a version made by French Canadian settlers known as Acadians called poutine râpée. It is usually filled with pork and served with sweet accompaniments such as fruit preserves, brown sugar or maple syrup.
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