When it comes to Lithuanian Christmas Eve dinner, the most important rule is that there must be no meat, no eggs, milk or butter. That is why mushrooms and all beautiful winter vegetables have an opportunity to show how delicious they are. I cannot remember any Christmas without my mum’s dumplings with died mushrooms. She makes them every year. This year is no exception.
I live in Turkey and that deprives me from opportunity to enjoy wild forest mushrooms, but this fact cannot take me away from enjoying those succulent dumplings. Just here I use simple champignons that are farm grown. Even though they lack flavour, but frying them for a longer time helps to richen the flavor and that is what I need for a great meal as these dumplings are.
(makes about 25 dumplings)
What you need:
- 2 cups flour;
- 1/2 cup water;
- a pinch of salt;
- 2 tbsp oil.
Filling:
- 300 g mushrooms;
- 1 leek;
- 1/ 2 onion;
- 1 tsp chopped fresh dill (you can use frozen or dried, just use less of dried);
- salt and black pepper to taste;
- sunflower seed oil;
- 1 onion, some oil and dill for serving.
What you have to do:
- Prepare the dough. In a bowl mix the flour, salt and water. Use your hands to mix it all together. If you find the dough too crumbly, add extra 1-2 tbsp of water. But not more. Transfer the dough on a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until it get more elastic. Cover the dough and leave it for 20-30 min.
- Prepare the filling. Peel and finely chop onion and leek. Grate the mushrooms. You can also cut it in small cubes. Preheat a pan with 2-3 tbsp of oil and add the onions and leek. Fry for 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Then add the mushrooms. Stir it time from time and continue cooking for 15 min. The mushrooms will start to get light brown. Stir in dill and leave the filling to cool.
- Divide the dough into 3 part. Take one piece and roll out into a thin circle. Cut out round smaller circles. You can use a special cutter or just a bigger glass or a cup. Add a filling into the centre of each circle. Fold the circle and punch the sides so they would stick together. Place the dumplings with the sides up. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Preheat a pan with 1-2 tbsp of oil and put 8-9 dumplings into it. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the bottom starts to turn light brown. Then carefully pour 1/2 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid. The steam should cook the dumplings.Cook for 3-4 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for 2 more minutes until the water evaporates. Repeat with the rest of the dumplings.
- Serve the dumplings with some fried onions in oil and some dill on the top.
Enjoy!
