Cepelinai (Potato Dumplings)
Hot, hearty, and filling giant potato dumplings
“Cepelinai, the national dish of Lithuania, are hearty potato dumplings stuffed with succulent minced meat, cheese, or mushrooms, and served with a rich dollop of sour cream and crispy bacon bits. These comforting, zeppelin-shaped delicacies offer a delightful blend of earthy flavors and creamy textures, making them a beloved staple in Lithuanian cuisine.”
Serves 8 Cooks In 3hr 30min Difficulty Advanced
Dough
Russet potatoes (4-4.5kg after peeling)
½ tsp Salt (1.5g)
Corn or Potato Starch (14g)
Vitamin C Powder (1,500mg)
Meat Filling
1lb of ground pork (453g)
Potatoes that were boiled and riced/mashed (90g)
1 clove of garlic (minced)
1 tsp salt (3g)
¾ tsp crack black pepper (2.25g)
Curd Filling
Varške (Lithuanian dry curd – 400g)
Can be found in lithuanian or russian grocery shops
1 egg
Fresh Chopped Mint, Sugar, Salt (to taste)
Toppings
Diced and Fried Bacon and Onion
Sour Cream
Fresh Dill
Preparation
- Peel and Weigh Potatoes, the ratio for final dough should be 80% raw potato and 20% boiled potato
- Set large pot to boil of 2-3 inches of water
- Dice and boil potatoes then immediately mash or use a ricer afterwards and set in the fridge to cool (20%, set aside 85g for meat filling).
- Prepare meat filling by mixing in shredded onion first and then rest of filling ingredients.
- Pulp potatoes via electric or manual (finest grain) potato grater.
- Add Vitamin C (1,500mg) into the pulp and mix thoroughly.
- Over a bowl, ladle the pulp into your grade 100 cheesecloth and then squeeze and massage the pulp while inside the cheesecloth to strain it of all its liquid, you should be left with a moldable dry potato paste.
- Let the strained liquid in the bowl rest to allow potato starch to settle to the bottom (15 minutes). Slowly pour liquid out to leave the potato starch at the bottom (save this for later).
- To complete the dough, thoroughly hand mix the strained potato pulp (80%), drained potato starch (from bowl), potato starch, boiled and mashed potatoes (20%), and salt.
Forming and Cooking the Cepelinai
- Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil. Make sure the pot is big enough or use several pots as to not overcrowd the Cepelinai.
- Weigh out dough and press into roughly 130g ½ inch patties. Use your palms to slightly flatten the edges so they do not crack. Use your thumbs to create a depression in the center for the meat filling.
- Carefully close up the Cepelinas by cupping with two hands and gently folding in half. Pinch the edge line formed in order to make a seal, if the edge is not properly sealed it will split open while boiling.
- Fill a bowl with water and get your fingers wet to smooth out all the cracks and seal the Cepelinas. Just one poorly sealed crack will make the Cepelinas fall apart.
- Add in 4 tablespoons of salt, 1000mg of Vitamin C, 4 tablespoons of potato starch (first mixed with cold water), into the boiling water and mix thoroughly.
- Gently add in the Cepelinai into the boiling water (rotate them if needed).
- Once they begin to rise to the top, lower heat to a rolling simmer (medium low) for 30 minutes.
- After the time is up, turn off the heat and let them rest in the hot water with the lid closed for 10 minutes.
- Serve 2 per serving on a bed of fried bacon and onion and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh dill.
Meat Filling Nutrition
Curd Filling Nutrition
