• This recipe will make about 80 pelmeni, or 4 to 5 servings.

For the Pelmeni Dough:

• To make dough, whisk together the eggs, water and salt in large mixing bowl. Add the flour gradually, mixing first with whisk, then a spoon, and then using your hands.
• The dough needs to have a medium firmness and shouldn't be sticky! Knead the dough on lightly floured surface for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the dough is uniform and elastic. Divide the dough in half and keep covered and let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Making the Pelmeni:

• Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Either grate or puree the onion in a food processor and place it into a large bowl. Add the ground pork (and beef, if desired), garlic, salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine the ingredients together, creating a uniform mixture.
• For Making Pelmeni by Hand: roll the rested dough out on floured work surface into large rectangle, to about the thickness of pasta sheets. Use a 1-1/2 inch round cookie cutter and cut as many circles as possible. Place 1½ teaspoons of the prepared filling onto each circle. Using well floured hands, shape the pelmeni by pinching together the seams, forming a semi-circle then bringing the two edges together. Place the prepared prepared pork pelmeni onto a floured pan until you're ready to cook them.
• For Using Pelmenitsa: if you're using a form, roll out the dough the same way, until it's very thin. Cut the dough down to size so it fits over the form with a few inches of extra dough handing off the sides. Add about 1 teaspoon, or as much as will fit, into each form. Place a second sheet of dough over the top, then use a rolling pin to seal the two layers together. Tap the form hard against your work surface and the pelmeni should pop right out.

Cooking Pelmeni:

• To cook ravioli, heat a large pot of well-salted water to boiling. Cook ravioli in small batches for about 8 minutes. Remove them with slotted spoon and place them into bowl.

Serving Options:

• Fried in Butter: first, cook the pelmeni, then drain. Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat and add a few tablespoons of butter. Add the pelmeni, along with a diced shallot, to the hot pan without over crowding. Fry the pelmeni over medium heat until they're well browned all over. Season the pelmeni with a bit of salt, pepper, fresh dill and enjoy!
• Sour Cream: Another popular way to serve pelmeni is with a mixture of sour cream, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and fresh dill. Simply cook the pelmeni, then toss into a bowl with the sour cream mixture. Adjust the vinegar to taste.

Note:

• Nutritional facts are calculated for pelmeni with the sour cream dressing.