Fish lovers should try the delicate combination of salmon, spinach, and cream cheese. Fresh salmon fillet is finely diced, blanched spinach is chopped, and then mixed with dill and cream cheese, seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. This filling is surprisingly light yet very filling, and the pink veins of the fish contrast beautifully with the emerald green of the spinach. Another variation on the same theme is minced pike mixed with raw pork fat, which melts during cooking and fills the pelmeni with incredible juice, making them juicier than any meat-based alternative. These pelmeni are delicious served with sour cream and a sprig of fresh herbs.
For those with a sweet tooth and as an unexpected dessert, you can make pelmeni with cottage cheese and herbs. This is perhaps the most controversial option, but incredibly popular in many regions. Dry cottage cheese is mixed with chopped dill, green onions, and parsley, one egg is added for binding, and salt to taste. During cooking, the cottage cheese slightly melts and combines with the herbs, creating a delicate, slightly piquant cream. These pelmeni are excellent served with a sour cream sauce flavored with garlic and black pepper. This dish is often called “lazy vareniki for adults,” and once you’ve tried it, you’ll never forget the contrast between the unleavened dough and the rich, tender filling.
For all of these variations, you can use the classic dough—flour, eggs, water, and salt, mixed until stiff. However, true perfectionists recommend adding a little turmeric to the dough for a beautiful yellow hue, or even spinach puree for a green color, to visually differentiate the fillings. And with this culinary rotation, the process of making dumplings ceases to be a chore and becomes a fun activity you can share with your children or partner. You’ll be surprised how quickly the evening flies by as you cut, mix, and wrap these little culinary surprises, and your guests will long wonder what’s hidden inside each golden dumpling.
