Koldunai Dumplings (Polish Kołduny)

Top down view of koldunai in broth in brown bowl with spoon.

Koldunai are bite-size dumplings with a meat filling wrapped in thin pierogi-style dough and cooked in water. The filling is juicy and flavourful, made with beef, onion and herbs.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Lithuanian, Polish

Prep Time 1 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 1 25

Servings servings

Calories 357kcal

Author Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

Food processor for combining filling ingredients
Medium sized pan for frying the onion
Rolling Pin
Cookie cutter: 2 ¼ inch/58mm alternatively use the rim of a small glass
Large pot and slotted spoon for boiling the dumplings

Ingredients

For the dough

2 cups all-purpose/plain flour plus a little for dusting
½ cup+2tsp very warm/hot water
2 teaspoons butter
Pinch of salt

For the filling

14.11 ounces ground beef 10-15% fat
1 medium onion finely chopped, plus 1½ tablespoons grated raw
1 garlic clove crushed
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
3 tablespoons beef stock from stock cube is fine
1½ tablespoons butter
⅔ teaspoon fine sea salt plus plenty of freshly ground pepper
*Optional: 2 tsp soy sauce See Instructions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare dough: To a large bowl add the flour, salt and butter. Gradually stir in the hot water. Start kneading to bring all the ingredients together and form a dough. Place the dough on top of a flour dusted surface and knead for about 6 minutes. The dough will gradually become smooth and soft. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes (this will minimise shrinking when you roll it out later).
Prepare onion: In a pan melt ½ tablespoon of butter, add the chopped onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened stirring often. Towards the end of cooking stir in the garlic. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Make filling mixture: To the food processor add the beef, remaining 1 tablespoon of butter (melted), marjoram, stock, cooked onion (once cooled), 1.5 tablespoons of grated onion, salt and pepper and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce (if using). Pulse until thoroughly incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
TIP: I recommend using a food processor to combine the ingredients as it’s quick, easy and produces better texture than using a spoon or even mixing the ingredients with your hands.
Roll out dough: Divide the dough into 3 parts (easier to work with), cover 2 and roll out 1 until very thin (about 2 mm). If the dough starts sticking to the surface as you roll lift it gently and turn over then dust your hand lightly with flour and go over the surface of the dough (you can do this a few times but make sure you don’t add too much flour).
TIP: Avoid scattering the flour directly over the dough as it’s easy to add too much (and end up with tough dough).
Cut round shapes: Using a cookie cutter (or a rim of a small glass) with the diameter of 4 ¼ inches/58mm, cut out round shapes. Gather up leftover dough and cover to prevent it drying (you can add it to the next batch).
TIP: At this point start heating a large pot of salted water. Use about 1 and ⅓ teaspoons of salt for 3 litres of water.
Form koldunai: Place a spoonful of the filling in the centre of a dough round and bring together opposite ends of the dough sticking the edges to seal the filling inside (do this thoroughly to make sure they don’t open up in cooking). This will give your dumpling a small pierogi shape. Next bring the ends together to form an uszka shape. Repeat for each dumpling.
Keep the kołduny on top of a generously floured surface and cover with a kitchen cloth to prevent the dough becoming dry.
TIP: I recommend keeping a sheet of paper towel handy to wipe your fingers if they become sticky as you form the dumplings.
Boil koldunai: Once the water starts to boil and you’ve got your first batch of dumplings (12-15) place them gently in the water one by one and stir carefully with a wooden spoon to prevent them sticking to the bottom of the pot and one another. Keep the heat high to start with but when the dumplings start coming up to the surface and the water starts boiling more rapidly turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for about 4 minutes from the time the dumplings come up to the surface. Using a slotted spoon transfer to a large plate (greased with butter) and pour a little butter over the dumplings. You should have approx. 45 dumplings.
TIP: You can either serve the koldunai immediately or set them aside while you make the rest of the dumplings. You may need to microwave some of them to make sure they are all piping hot before serving.

Notes

It’s important to use meat that’s not too lean – with 10-15% fat content.

To save time prepare the filling mixture while the dough is ‘resting’.

Koldunai should always be cooked in salted water rather than pan-fried from raw.

Boil the dumplings in batches (without overcrowding the pot) as soon as you’ve made them (to prevent them becoming dry).

Best served hot in a broth. Leftover kołduny dumplings can be refrigerated, once cooled completely, covered, for up to 3 days. Coat in oil or melted butter before refrigerating.

Nutrition