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6 Sochi-Inspired Recipes

Celebrate the Winter Games with these traditional Russian recipes.

Russian Pelmeni

These dough dumplings are traditionally filled with minced turkey, pork or lamb. The singular version of the word is a pelmen. In some parts of Russia (west of the Udal Mountains) the dumplings are filled with a vegetable mixture that includes mushrooms, onions or sauerkraut—these are called vareniki. Frozen versions of pelmeni can be found in most grocery stores throughout Russia.

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1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tbsp light sour cream
1 egg
3/4 cup warm water
½ tsp salt
3 cups of all-purpose flour (can mix up to ½ the flour 100% whole)


1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 pound ground turkey

Topping options: light sour cream, vinegar, butter


1. Make the Dough: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, egg, warm water, and salt. Using a mixer with a dough hook* add 2 cups of the flour to the mix. Slowly add the remaining cup of flour until the dough begins to form a ball.
2. Make the Filling: In a sauté pan, add the olive oil and onion and sauté for 7–10 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the ground turkey and cook for 5–7 minutes.
2. Make the Pelmeni: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 1-inch thick slab. Cut off 1-inch pieces at a time and roll or pat into small rounds. Fill each round with 1 teaspoon of filling, then pinch the edges of the dough together into a half-moon shape. Prepare 8–12 at a time.
3. Cook the Pelmeni: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add 8–12 pelmeni at a time. Boil for about 5 minutes, until they float to the top of the pot. Remove from the boiling water using a slotted spoon.

*If you do not have a mixer with a dough hook, stir by hand.

Makes: approximately 60 pelmeni



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