Potato dumplings (Cepelinai)

Cepelinai are Lithuanian national dish. These hearty potato-meat dumplings take time to make, but the result is well worth the effort .

10 medium starchy  potatoes

3 boiled and mashed potatoes

1 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. potato or corn starch

Filling:

7 oz. ground pork

7 oz. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. oil

1 tbsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper 

Wash and peel potatoes. Then cut them into small cubes and process in a food processor until it’s liquid . Put the gratings in a double cheese cloth and squeeze dry. In a mixing bowl combine the gratings, mashed potatoes, salt and starch. Mix well. 

In a skillet fry onions with oil until golden brown. In a mixing bowl mix pork and beef, add onions, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Take  a  ½  cup of potato mixture, flatten it on your palm, put a spoonful of meet mixture in the center  and fold over, making an oval shaped dumpling.

Put the dumplings in a boiling water and cook for 30 min., stirring occasionally.  Be careful not to brake them. After Cepelinai are cooked take them out of the water and serve with sour cream and fried bacon and onions.

Adapted from LITHUANIAN TRADITIONAL FOODS by Birutė Imbrasienė