Potato zeppelins stuffed with minced meat, served with sour cream and fried lard and onions.
Zeppelins, or didjkukuliai, are a traditional Lithuanian dish made from grated potatoes stuffed with minced meat or cottage cheese. The recipe for an authentic Lithuanian dish was shared by the Chef Donna website.
The name “Zeppelins” appeared during the First World War. From 1915 to 1918, Lithuania was under German occupation, and military airships of the occupiers, manufactured by Zeppelin, flew through its territory to the Eastern Front. Didzhkukulyai was very similar in shape to them, and soon the dish began to be called zeppelin everywhere.
These delicious filled pies or dumplings are steamed with just four basic ingredients: potatoes, minced meat, flour and onions.
Ingredients
- potatoes – 800 g;
- minced meat (chicken and pork) – 350 g;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- flour – 2 tbsp. l. (plus a handful for breading);
- salt, spices – to taste;
- fried onions with cracklings for serving – optional.
Preparation
Step 1
Divide the potatoes into two equal parts. Boil half, peel and crush with a masher. Grate the remaining potatoes on a fine grater and squeeze out the juice.
Step 2
Combine boiled and raw potatoes, salt and flour in a deep bowl. Instead of flour, you can use potato or corn starch.
Step 3
Knead into a thick, sticky potato dough.
Step 4
Take chicken and pork in arbitrary proportions and pass through a meat grinder along with onions. Add salt and your favorite spices to the minced meat. Mix the minced meat thoroughly.
Step 5
Divide the minced meat into four equal parts and form oval cutlets.
Step 6
Divide the potato dough into four parts. Dust a cutting board with flour and make potato cakes.
Step 7
Place a minced meat patty on each flatbread and form zeppelins in the shape of an airship with pointed ends.
Step 8
Line the steamer with baking paper and grease it with vegetable oil. Place the zeppelins in the steamer at a distance from each other. Steam for 25-30 minutes.
Step 9
Make a fry of lard and onions.
Step 10
Place the finished zeppelins on plates, pour over sour cream, top with cracklings and fried onions and serve.
Let us remind you of a delicious old recipe of Ukrainian cuisine – Kolomyia knigili. If you love lazy dumplings and potato pancakes, try making Kolomyia knigili. This ancient recipe is somewhat similar to well-known dishes, but has a special originality and appeal.
Previously Focus wrote how to cook a fake rabbit according to a Lithuanian recipe. Why this dish is called “rabbit” is unclear. It’s essentially a large baked cutlet. And it’s very tasty.