Zuza Zak's Nettle Dumplings #CookforUkraine recipe

This recipe is kindly donated by the wonderful Zuza Zak, a dear friend and now a fellow campaigner!

Green nettle

pelmeni dumplings

Serves 4

× About 80–100 g (2¾–3½ oz)

nettle leaves

× 150 g (5½ oz) feta or crumbly

goat’s cheese

× Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

× 25 g (1 oz) butter

× Salt and white pepper

× Soured cream and finely

chopped dill, to serve

For the dumpling dough

× 300 g (10½ oz) plain

(all-purpose) flour,

plus extra for dusting

× 2 egg yolks

× 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,

melted

The dumpling of choice in most of the Baltic States is probably

Siberian-style pelmeni. Traditionally, these ‘little ears’ are stu_ed

with meat, but I wanted to update them to reflect the freshness

of modern Baltic cuisine. When I made a version with foraged

nettles, they were so light and vibrant that each mouthful was

like tasting a spring day!

Nettles should be picked in spring, before they flower: you only

want the tender tops, usually 5 or 6 leaves per plant, and you will

need a big bag of them for the dumpling dough and filling. Make

sure you wear sturdy gloves to protect your hands from stings.

Outside nettle season, you can use baby spinach leaves instead.

Put the kettle on to boil. Wearing rubber gloves (so you don’t get

stung!), place the nettle leaves in a colander and rinse under cold

running water, then pour over boiling water from the kettle to wilt

them. Rinse them under cold water again, before gently squeezing

out the excess water. Transfer the nettles to a chopping board and

chop finely, then set aside.

For the dough, place the flour in a large bowl with a pinch of

salt. Make a well in the middle and add the egg yolks, along with

2 tablespoons of water. Use your hands to start bringing the

dough together, gradually adding more water if needed. Finally,

work the melted butter and half of the chopped nettles into the

dough. Turn out the dough onto a flour-dusted work surface and

knead for about 10 minutes until the texture is smooth and supple,

like play-dough. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and allow to

rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the dumpling filling, place the rest of the chopped

nettles in a small bowl with the cheese and mash with a f ork.

Add the nutmeg, season with pepper and continue to mash until

everything is thoroughly combined. Taste to see if it needs any salt.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the rested dough very

thinly, ideally about 1.5 mm (.⁄.. inch). Use a round object about

6–8 cm (2½–3¼ inches) in diameter, such as a glass or cup,

to cut out circles of dough. Place a teaspoonful of filling in the

centre of each circle, then fold over to make a half-moon shape

and seal by pressing the edges together with your fingers. Now

gently wrap the half moon around your finger and press the two

outer edges together to seal. Place the finished pelmeni on a

flour-dusted surface and cover with a clean, dry tea towel.

When you are ready to cook the dumplings, bring a large

saucepan of salted water to the boil and put the butter onto a

plate. Working in batches, use a slotted spoon to carefully lower

the dumplings into the simmering water. Once they float to the

top, give them another minute or two before lifting out onto the

plate and coating in the butter. Serve with soured cream and dill.

Amber & Rye: A Baltic Food Journey by Zuza Zak (Murdoch Books, £25). Photography by Ola O. Smit.