since i made chicken stock this week, i thought i’d do a couple of posts highlighting chicken stock as a main ingredient. these dumplings are served swimming in a bath of reduced chicken stock and fresh parsley. i made the filling with chicken thighs, but you can make it with leftover steak, pork, or even pot roast. this recipe is courtesy of my lithuanian side (i’m italian too) and is meant to use up leftover meat and turn it into a new dish. trust me, nobody will know this is leftovers! the dumplings are so comforting and tasty that leftovers are the last thing that come to mind! lucky for you, this recipe makes 60 dumplings, so you can eat some tonight and freeze the rest for another time. cooking once and eating twice or three times is a great thing to master. stick with me and i’ll show you how…lithuanian meat dumplings
makes 60 (i serve around ten dumplings per person)
for filling:
1/2 lb to lb of cooked, dark meat chicken (or whatever leftover meat you want to use)
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil just until soft. in a food processor, grind the meat with the sauteed onion and garlic, egg, parsley and salt and pepper.
for dumpling dough:
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour
in a mixing bowl, whisk together the water, oil, eggs and salt. add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. the dough should be soft and easy to roll, but not sticky. roll out the dough on a floured board to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into circles using a 2″ biscuit or cookie cutter. place a teaspoon amount of the filling in the middle of each circle. brush the edges with water and seal by squeezing the edges together with your fingers. (you can use a fork to seal your dumplings, but i like the way these look a little better). freeze your dumplings on parchment lined sheet pans and then transfer to freezer bags.
dumplings in sauce (makes 2 servings)
3 cups of chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper
20 meat dumplings (you can boil them right from the freezer. no need to defrost)
while your stock is reducing, boil water with a little salt in your favorite pasta pot. when the water boils, drop in your dumplings and cook until they start to float. transfer with a slotted spoon to the skillet containing the sauce and toss to coat the dumplings. eat!
this recipe may seem a tad bit time consuming, but if you make the dumplings on a day when you have a little extra time, you can raid your freezer on another day and have dinner on the table in 20 minutes. give it a try. when you taste the dumplings, you’ll be glad you did!
celery carrots and onions 
This is the best post yet! I can’t wait to make these.
Those dumplings look so good! I’ll have to try this recipe sometime.
looks great! wow!i love the photos aswellgood post.. keep on the good work ;-)thanks
i love all dumplings, these look soo yummm!
where is the bacon?????
no olive oil in lithuanian..Kuldunai….?
show me some potato pancakes or latkes for Easter or Passover….
i am assuming that the “bacon” and “no olive oil in lithuania” comments have been left anonymously by one of my lovely lithuanian aunts. sorry auntie! i am fully aware of the liberties i’ve taken with the recipe. i make my sauce that way to make the dumplings a tad healthier. 🙂
Wow. Lithuanians can be a little rough around the edges. I think its a good variation of a lithuanian dumpling! I will definately try these!!!
Until now I thought that YOU were my favorite little Lithuanian dumpling, Jen! Not having evolved much since college, I tend to eat lots of take out and frozen food. Now you’re showing me how to make my own frozen food…this might be just the trick to get me into the kitchen!
I dream about these little dumplings filled with goodness and swimming in a bath full of richness and flavors exploding in your mouth. i just love this dish..bacon or no bacon. i keep telling her to try some mushrooms in this dish. OH! Bacon and mushrooms! mmmm.