Cepelinai — Lithuanian Zeppelin Dumplings

Shopping list

• 1 kg floury potatoes — peeled

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• 50 g potato starch

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• 300 g minced pork

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• 1 piece onion — finely chopped

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• 150 g smoked streaky bacon — diced

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• 1 tsp sea salt

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• 0.5 tsp black pepper — freshly ground

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• 200 ml soured cream — to serve

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• 10 g fresh dill — chopped, to garnish

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Step by step

1. 1

   Grate 700 g of the raw potatoes on the finest side of a box grater into a large bowl. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible through a clean muslin cloth or tea towel, reserving the liquid in a separate bowl.

2. 2

   Boil the remaining 300 g of potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash them until smooth, then stir into the grated raw potato.

3. 3

   Let the reserved potato liquid stand for 5 minutes. Pour off the watery top layer, leaving the white starch settled at the bottom. Add this starch and the potato starch to the potato mixture. Season with half the salt and mix until you have a cohesive, sticky dough.

4. 4

   In a frying pan over medium heat, cook half the diced bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion in the bacon fat until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the minced pork, remaining salt, and black pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.

5. 5

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. With wet hands, take a portion of potato dough (about 100 g) and flatten it in your palm. Place a heaped tablespoon of the pork filling in the centre, then fold and seal the dough around it, shaping into an oval 'zeppelin'. Repeat with remaining dough and filling to make about 8 dumplings.

6. 6

   Gently lower the dumplings into the simmering water. Cook for 25– 30 minutes, maintaining a gentle simmer. The dumplings will float when done and should feel firm to the touch.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, fry the remaining bacon until very crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

8. 8

   Remove the cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon and serve hot, topped with crispy bacon bits, a generous dollop of soured cream, and a sprinkling of fresh dill.