This is one of those hearty homestyle dinners that fills the whole house with the most incredible smell and has everyone hovering around the stove waiting for it to be done. Little hand-rolled meat and buckwheat dumplings, simmered on a bed of tomatoey vegetables until they’re juicy and tender. It takes a bit of hands-on work to roll them, but it’s the kind of cooking I find genuinely relaxing, and the payoff is so worth it.
For the dough:
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the filling:
- 1 lb ground turkey (or any ground meat you like)
- 1/2 cup dry buckwheat groats plus 2/3 cup boiling water
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
- salt, black pepper, and paprika to taste
For the vegetable base:
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- salt to taste
- oil for cooking
Start with the dough. Put the flour and salt in a bowl, pour in the warm water, and start mixing. Add the oil and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and no longer sticks to your hands. Pop it in a plastic bag and let it rest for 20 minutes while you make the filling.
For the filling, rinse the buckwheat and pour the boiling water over it. Let it sit for 20 minutes to steam and soften. Meanwhile, combine the ground turkey with the finely chopped onion and parsley. Drain the softened buckwheat and mix it into the meat. Season generously with salt, black pepper, and paprika, and mix everything together until well combined.
After resting, the dough becomes really soft and easy to work with. Lightly oil your work surface, roll the dough out a bit, brush it with a thin layer of oil, and let it sit for another 5 minutes. Then gently stretch it out by hand into a big rectangle, roughly 20×32 inches. Cut it into squares about 6×6 inches. If you want the filling extra juicy, mix a splash of cold water into it first. Spread some filling on each square and roll each one up into a small neat tube. You end up with cute little stuffed rolls that hold their shape beautifully as they cook.
For the vegetable base, heat some oil in a wide pot or deep skillet and cook the diced onion until lightly golden. Add the grated carrots and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and chopped tomato, season with salt, and cook for another minute. Now lay the meat rolls on top of the vegetables in layers, brushing each layer with a little oil so they don’t stick together. Stack them up, pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the rolls, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for about 35 minutes.
The whole thing comes out incredibly juicy, fragrant, and filling. My favorite way to serve these is with a generous spoonful of sour cream on top.
