Cepelinai (Lithuanian Potato Dumplings with Meat)
In short: Large torpedo-shaped dumplings of grated potato wrapped around seasoned pork, boiled and served with bacon, onion and sour cream. It takes about 1 h 45 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 680 kcal
Cepelinai are the dish most people name first when asked about Lithuanian food. The dumplings are shaped like small zeppelins, which is where the name comes from, and they are made of grated raw potatoes mixed with a little cooked mashed potato and wrapped around a meat filling. They are boiled gently, then served with crisp bacon, fried onion and sour cream. A plate of two is a full meal.
Instructions
- Mix the pork, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and marjoram for the filling. Shape it into 8 ovals of about 50 g (1 3/4 oz) each and set them aside in the fridge.
- Finely grate the raw potatoes in a food processor. Tip them into a clean cloth and squeeze very hard over a bowl. Let the liquid stand for 10 minutes, then pour off the water and keep the white starch at the bottom.
- Mix the squeezed potatoes with the mashed potatoes, the saved starch and the salt into a smooth, slightly sticky dough. If it feels loose, stir in the potato starch.
- With wet hands, flatten about 175 g (6 oz) of dough in your palm, set a filling oval in the center and wrap the dough around it. Shape it into a smooth oval with no cracks. Repeat with the rest.
- Bring a wide pot of salted water to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Lower the cepelinai in carefully and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, until they float and the filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp, add the onion and cook for 8 minutes until golden. Stir in the sour cream and warm it through without boiling.
- Lift the cepelinai out with a slotted spoon, spoon over the bacon sauce and sprinkle with dill.
Tips
- Use starchy potatoes and squeeze the grated ones very dry. The dough must hold together without cracking in the water.
- Cook one test dumpling first. If it falls apart, work another tablespoon or two of potato starch into the dough.
Questions and answers
Can I freeze cepelinai?
Yes. Freeze the shaped, uncooked dumplings on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months and simmer from frozen for about 45 minutes.
Why did my cepelinai fall apart?
The dough was too wet or the water boiled too hard. Squeeze the potatoes dry, keep the water at a gentle simmer and test one dumpling before shaping the rest.
What can I fill cepelinai with besides pork?
Curd cheese with dill, or mushrooms cooked with onion, are both traditional fillings.
How long does it take to make Cepelinai (Lithuanian Potato Dumplings with Meat)?
About 1 h 45 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Cepelinai (Lithuanian Potato Dumplings with Meat)?
About 680 kcal per serving, with 32 g of protein, 64 g of carbohydrates and 33 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 680 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 64 g |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1650 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
