Lithuania · Meat Dishes
Cepelinai (Lithuanian Potato Dumplings)
Traditional Lithuanian dumplings shaped like zeppelins — a mixture of raw grated and mashed potato forms a dough that is filled with seasoned meat, then boiled and served with sour cream and crispy pork cracklings.
Ingredients
- potatoes1000 g
- potato starch3 tbsp
- ground meat pork beef300 g
- small onion1 piece
- sour cream100 g
- pork cracklings or fried onion100 g
Method
- 1Divide 1 kg potatoes: boil 250 g, mash and cool. Grate the remaining 750 g raw on a fine grater.
- 2Transfer grated potato to a clean cloth and squeeze out ALL liquid into a bowl. Do NOT discard the liquid — let it stand 10–15 minutes so the starch settles to the bottom.
- 3Carefully pour off the water but keep the settled starch. Combine the starch, squeezed raw potato and mashed potato in a large bowl. Add 3 tbsp extra starch and a pinch of salt. Knead until smooth and pliable.
- 4Mix ground meat with finely diced onion, salt, pepper and 2–3 tbsp cold water or cream so the filling is juicy.
- 5Take a fist-sized portion of dough and flatten to a 1 cm patty on your palm. Place 2 tbsp (about 40 g) filling in the center. Seal edges tightly and roll between your palms into a large oval pointed at both ends — like a zeppelin. Test one small dumpling first: boil 5 min; if it holds together the dough is ready.
- 6Drop cepelinai carefully into a large pot of salted boiling water in small batches. Simmer on low heat 15–20 minutes after they float. Serve hot topped with sour cream and cracklings or fried onion.