Chagigah Kitchen: Kreplach

Hello, wonderful Chagigah listeners! Now that we’ve hurdled the Fourth of July cookouts and fireworks spectacular, this weekend calls for a palate-cleanser that’ll fill you up without knocking you out. This week’s recipe, from easyjewishrecipes.com, is light, delicious, and easy to make. Enjoy the kreplach, and be sure to tune into Chagigah this week and every Sunday from 8AM-11AM! If you want to share your own recipes, drop us a line at chagigah@wers.org.

Kreplach are boiled dumplings filled with your choice of meat, cheese, or potato-onion. Meat Kreplach are often served in soup. They can also be served as an appetizer or side dish together with your favorite gravies, sauces, and condiments.

Note: Dough dries out quickly if not kept covered with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap – it is a good idea to prepare the filling before you make the dough – filling recipes can be found further down.

Kreplach

Dough:
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups flour
¼ tsp. salt
Hot salted water, for boiling

In a bowl, combine eggs, water, flour and salt. Knead into a soft, sticky dough by hand or use the food processor to do this. At this point, it would be wise to prepare a large pot of boiling salted water – dumplings will be formed, filled and should be boiled at once to avoid drying out of the dough. Roll out dough as thin as possible on a floured surface. Cut into 2” squares. Place 1 tsp. of filling in centre of each square. Fold dough over to form a triangle and press edges closed. Now pinch together two opposing points of the triangle and squeeze together.

Drop dumplings into boiling salted water and cover the pot as you would when making matzo balls. Reduce heat to a simmer and once kreplach float to the top of the water, (after approximately 15 minutes, more or less) remove them from the pot. Store them as you would matzo balls – preferably in a single layer (until completely cooled) covered and refrigerated.

Serve in a clear soup, with gravy and if making cheese filling, serve with sour cream, fruit sauce or applesauce.

Chicken or meat filling:
1 tbsp. oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup cooked chopped chicken or ground beef
1 egg, beaten
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Pinch of your favorite herbs, if desired
Saute the onion in the oil until golden brown. Once cooled down, combine with rest of ingredients.

Cheese Filling:
1 cup dry cottage cheeese
1 egg
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. bread crumbs
Pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients together by hand or in your food processor.

Potato Filling
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup finely chopped onions, sauteed until golden brown
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. chicken fat, pareve margarine or oil

Add cooked onions to mashed potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add egg to cooled off potatoes followed by oil or fat and mix together.

Makes approximately 2 dozen.

By Jamie Loftus