Pelmeni
Overview
Pelmeni (singular pelmen; in Russian, пельмен[ь|и]) are a national Eastern European (mainly Russian) dish - usually made with minced meat (pork, lamb, beef or any other kind can be used, although a mix of several kinds is the most popular) filling, sometimes with spices added, wrapped in thin dough (made out of flour and egss, sometimes with milk or watter added). They are usually stored frozen, and prepared by boiling in water until they float, and then 2-5 minutes more. The resulting dish is served with butter and/or sour cream (mustard is somewhat popular as well).
History
The origin of pelmeni is not clear, and many versions exist. The most widely accepted one is that they were discovered in the Urals by Russian explorers and pioneers, who found a similar dish (called pelnyan - literally "bread ear" in the native language) being used by the native people of the region, which consisted of wrapping pieces of meat in very thin bread. Another theory is that pelmeni were invented by hunters, who were looking for light, easy-to-prepare and filling food to take with them on long hunting trips (pelmeni also have another benefit - the water they were boiled in makes a pretty good soop). In any case, it is known that pelmeni were already in use before the 15th century.
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See also: