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Cepelinai - Often considered the Lithuanian national dish, cepelinai are potato dumplings stuffed with meat, cheese or mushrooms. They may be garnished with onion, sour cream, or spirgai (fried pork underskin fat)

Recipe Dough: 10 raw peeled potatoes 6 peeled, boiled and mashed potatoes salt to taste Filling: 2 pounds Mushrooms, finely chopped 2 onions, chopped 2 tablespoons Cooking oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 eggs 1 cup bread crumbs salt and pepper to

How to make cepelinai Step 1 Grate raw potatoes with the fine side of the grater. Place grated potatoes in cheesecloth folded over at least twice. Squeeze as much juice from the grated potatoes as possible. Do not discard the juice. Put the Potato juice aside while preparing the filling.

Step 2 - Filling Heat sautee pan. Add oil, then butter. Add the Mushrooms and onions. Sautee until all the Mushroom liquid has reduced. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Continue to work on the Potato mixture while this is cooling.

Step 3 Place the grated raw potatoes and the mashed potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Take the reserved Potato juice and pour off the liquid. You should have potato starch left on the bottom of the bowl. Scrape out the starch and add it to the grated Potato mixture. Add salt to taste. Knead with your hands until blended.

Step 4 Go back to the filling mixture and add the egg, breadcrumbs

Step 5 Take a handful of the Potato dough. Shape first into a ball about the size of a large meatball. Flattened the ball into patty form. Take some of the filling and form it into a ping-pong sized ball. Place it in the center of the patty. Then enclose the patty around the filling, squeezing and smoothing it with your hands so that the Potato mixture encases the filling, sealing it well. You will end up with a filled Potato dumpling about the size of a lemon. Place the dumplings in lightly salted boiling water. Boil for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and drain well.

Step 6 To serve, top with a dollop of sour cream.

Have a good apetite!!! Good luck making your own Cepelinai!