Traditional Beef Kreplach
Overview
Let’s talk about kreplach, food, and feelings.
Maybe you don’t remember every detail of what you were saying when you tried that amazing bite of food that one time at a restaurant, but the feeling you had when you ate it- especially if it was delicious and mouth watering- that I bet you remember.
Point in case. Kreplach, also known as Jewish dumplings, are nostalgic for me. I was way too young to remember my great grandmother but the stories my mother tells me of her make me realize that a) she and I would have had fun in the kitchen together and b) her cooking sparked feelings.
Years ago my mother taught me how to make my grandmothers beef krepach recipe and since then I’ve made tiny edits. This is a recipe that is made with love, that ignites a warmth in your soul, and the taste is like a fuzzy and comforting blanket on you while it’s raining outside. Enjoy the recipe and let me know if you try it out.
Hi, I’m Jackie, Founder of Jackie Cooks and Drinks, and a BIG believer that cooking, creating and entertaining should be FUN.
Shopping List
For the dough
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tsp granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 4 ounces ice cold water
For the filling
- 3/4 lb ground beef; you can use up left over steak, roast, etc!
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp chicken fat, plus more to reheat
Method
Make the filling. Saute the onion in chicken fat + a heavy pinch of salt on low heat. Allow to become soft and translucent, about 10-15 minutes. Grab a food processor and combine the meat and the onion, pulse until combined. Check for seasoning and add salt + pepper to taste. Note, if using raw meat, test for seasoning after it has been cooked.
For the dough, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine the 3 eggs and water together. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour. The dough should be slightly sticky at this point; add a tbsp of flour at a time until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Divide the dough into two balls. Place a damp cloth over the dough if not using right away so it doesn’t dry out.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Roll out the dough. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and roll the dough to be about 1/2” thin. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take a 2” round cutter (a glass works well here as well), and cut out circles, re-rolling the scraps. Place the circles on the parchment paper.
Next, add 1 tsp of filling in the middle of each circle. Fold the dumplings in half and crimp the edges shut.
In batches, place the kreplach in the boiling water, stirring occasionally (so they don’t stick), and when they rise to the top of the pot (this only takes 2-3 minutes), remove them onto another baking sheet lined with parchment.
When ready to serve, you can put them in soup as is, eat them as is, or my favorite is to pan fry them lightly in a little chicken fat. Best served with spicy brown mustard! Hope you enjoy them!