Spelt Dumplings
Flavorful and hearty vegetable dumplings with tender spelt wrappers.
Dough:
1 ¾ cup flour
5/8 cup water
Filling:
1 cup diced potato
¾ cup diced zucchini
¾ cup shredded carrot
¾ cup diced swiss chard
1 tsp heaping of diced garlic
1/8 tsp finely diced or shredded ginger
sprinkle of cloves
2 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp honey
¼ tsp salt
Directions:
Mix flour and water to make the dough. Dough should be stiff and not tacky. Flour may be added if the dough is too wet.
Mix all of the filling ingredients well so that there are not clumps of intense ginger or garlic.
Pinch off a tablespoon sized piece of the dough and use a rolling pin and a floured surface to flatten it into a circle about 3-4 inches in diameter. Wet the edges of the circle with water.
Place 2-3 tsp of filling in the center of the circle. Grab two opposite sides of the circle and pinch them together. Then slowly pinch the edges together all around the circle ending up with a pot-sticker/half moon shape.
Once some of the dumplings are formed start boiling water or vegetable broth to cook them. A steamer can also be used. I have tried both methods and the steamer decreases the possibility that the dumplings will open while cooking.
If boiling, gently place dumplings in boiling water, make sure that the pan has enough water so that the dumplings are not touching the bottom. Boil for about 8 minutes, then use a slotted spoon or spatula to dip them out.
If steaming, bring water in the steamer to a boil and make sure that the steamer is lined with foil to prevent sticking. I actually oiled the foil as an extra precaution. Steam dumplings for about 8 minutes.
The vegetables in this recipe can easily be substituted for others (whatever is available and fresh). I also contemplated using sesame oil instead of olive oil, which would give the dumplings more flavor.
One question I ran into while making these was "Should I call them dumplings or potstickers?" From what I have read the only difference is in the method of cooking them. Potstickers are generally fried, while dumplings are either steamed or boiled. Evidently the distinction has nothing to do with the shape of the product.
