How to cook dumplings without them falling apart

Dumpling dough - what is made from it

Dumplings are not only a popular and beloved dish by many, but also very practical.
It’s convenient to always have a bag of dumplings in the freezer. They will help out if a guest unexpectedly appears on the doorstep or there is no time for dinner. All you need to do is boil water, and in five minutes a tasty, hearty and hot dish is ready. The simplest and most common dumpling dough consists of water, eggs and flour. Although it is considered dumplings, it can be used for more than just making dumplings. From such unleavened dough you can make dumplings, pies or pasties. If there is excess minced meat left after modeling, you can freeze it, fry the cutlets or make meatballs. Where to use the extra dough? It turns out there are plenty of options for using it. It can be used on homemade noodles, soup dumplings, lazy dumplings, and pizza crust. Or roll up bagel rolls, putting mashed potatoes, sugar or minced meat instead of filling, and fry in oil. You can simply fry the flatbreads, without any filling, by first rolling out the dough.

How to freeze homemade dumplings so they don't stick together

Category: Dumplings

Every housewife has repeatedly asked this question, and it is not at all surprising if many of them could not find the correct answer to it.

Experience and practice do not always become reliable companions in preparing your favorite dish, and therefore the question of how to freeze dumplings so as not to stick to each other is still open for many.

In order to save you once and for all from searching for the truth through unsuccessful culinary experiments, we offer a detailed article to help you, where all the nuances of freezing are laid out “on the shelves.”

If you are wondering how to properly freeze dumplings at home, then most likely you have more than once encountered the problem when, during the freezing process, the dough products stuck together or stuck to the bottom of the dish in which you tried to freeze them.

Most desperate housewives may think that this problem will never be solved, but the solution is actually much simpler than you think.

In order for the dumplings to freeze well, you should use a blast freezing machine. Blast freezing of dumplings at home is slightly different from that used in factories, but its essence remains the same.

The advantage of shock (i.e. quick) freezing is the sharp transition from warm to cold temperatures. This method not only saves time, but also better preserves the quality and taste of the product.

Many housewives make the mistake of putting raw dumplings with filling in a bag immediately after modeling or placing them in a heap on a plate and putting them in the freezer in this form. If you do the same, then do not be surprised that your dough products will stick together so that they will not be torn off without tearing.

To keep the surface of the “pies” safe and sound, place the molded dumplings on a board.

Sprinkle a plastic surface with a small amount of flour, place the molded dumplings on it (at a short distance from each other) and put the board in the freezer.

Thanks to shock freezing, within 1 hour the dumplings will reach the desired consistency. This is how we freeze the entire portion of dumplings. Afterwards, we put them in regular plastic bags and put them in the freezer until we need them for cooking.

If you have a lot of dumplings, but little time to freeze, try making a dumpling pyramid from several layers. The principle of freezing is the same as described above, you just need several cutting boards and plastic bags.

• We insert the board completely into the bag, sprinkle it with flour, and place the dumplings on the cutting surface (do not forget to leave a small distance between the products).
• Place the next board on top in a bag with a portion of dumplings laid out on it, etc., until all the layers are laid.

This will save you a lot of time, and besides, this method will not allow the dumplings to stick to each other, neither on top nor on the bottom.

Another unpleasant “surprise” for housewives can be cracks in dumplings that appear when frozen. It is no longer possible to correct this oversight after freezing; even cooking will not hide this culinary flaw. However, it is very possible to prevent the appearance of cracks, but this must be done at the stage of kneading the dough.

General principles and methods of preparation

Dough for dumplings has more than a dozen preparation options.

It is made with water, milk, kefir, butter is added, and even brewed with boiling water. Each housewife has her own recipe. Some people put the ingredients by eye, while others carefully measure the quantity, believing that only the exact proportions of flour, water and eggs can give the dough firmness, elasticity, and the finished dumplings a special taste. Some housewives have no idea how to knead dough without eggs, while others claim that it is the dough without eggs that makes it truly dumpling-like. It is unknown which option will suit your taste. Get acquainted with the recipes, choose, try.

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Technological map No. Dough for dumplings, semi-finished food service product
(CP recipe No. 1002
)

Publishing house Kiev "A.S.K" 2005

1. REQUIREMENTS FOR RAW MATERIALS

Food raw materials, food products and semi-finished products used for the preparation of semi-finished dough for dumplings,

must comply with the requirements of current regulatory and technical documents, have accompanying documents confirming their safety and quality (certificate of conformity, declaration of conformity, quality certificate, etc.).

The preparation of raw materials is carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Collection of technological standards for public catering establishments and technological recommendations for imported raw materials.

• Flour
  is sifted through sieves with mesh sizes of no more than 2.5 mm.
• Salt
  that arrives at the enterprise without packaging is sifted through sieves before use.
• Eggs
  received at the enterprise are pre-treated (soaking, washing, disinfecting, rinsing).

1. RECIPE

1. Cooking technology

In the bowl of the dough mixing machine, water, flour, salt, and eggs are combined. Knead the stiff dough. Leave under a napkin for the dough to “ripen” and the gluten to swell.

1. Characteristics of the finished dish.

Appearance

– unleavened dough, light cream color. Consistency – elastic, elastic.

Taste

– characteristic of unleavened dough, without foreign smell or taste.

Smell

- characteristic of unleavened dough, without foreign smell or taste.

1. Requirements for registration, sale and storage

Dumpling dough is used as a semi-finished product in the production of dumplings.

Prepare it as needed and store it before use. The permissible shelf life of dough for dumplings, according to SanPin 42-123-4117-86 at a temperature of +(2+4) degrees C, is no more than 12 hours from the end of the technological process.

Microbiological indicators of dough for dumplings

must comply with the requirements of SanPin 42-123-4117-86.

1. NUTRITIONAL VALUE of dumpling dough:

date

Technologist /______________/__________full name___________

Chef /______________/_________ Full name___________
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Recipe 1: Choux pastry for dumplings

This recipe is good because the dough is elastic, soft, and easy to roll out. It's a pleasure to work with it - it doesn't tear or stick. It can also be stored in the refrigerator in a bag for two to three days. You can also make dumplings, pies, and pasties from it. The amount of ingredients is designed for a large batch of dumplings.

Ingredients : one and a half glasses of water, eggs – 2, flour – 6 glasses, salt – 1 teaspoon.

Cooking method

Brew part of the flour (2 cups) with half a cup of boiling water. Those. Just pour boiling water into the flour and stir with a spoon. After the flour and water are mixed into a homogeneous mass, add the remaining products - eggs, salt and then the remaining 4 cups of flour. Mix well with your hands and leave for a while (20-30 minutes) at room temperature. To prevent the dough from drying out, wrap it in film or put it in a bowl, covering it with a lid or plate.

Yeast

It was not for nothing that he was considered alive in Rus'. It “breathes” as it rises in the pan, and even “talks” if the air bubble suddenly bursts. The reason for this is yeast, which ensures the fermentation process. Therefore, you cannot leave the dough indoors, especially overnight: it will definitely turn sour.

If this happens, the only thing that can be done is to dilute the sour mixture with milk and immediately fry the pancakes. But it can no longer be used for making pies.

Is it possible to store yeast dough? Yes, but for this you need to know a number of nuances. And remember that the mentioned periods are only suitable for the semi-finished product that you know when it is cooked.

The only place where yeast dough can be stored is in the refrigerator. True, in winter an unheated balcony is suitable for this purpose.

How to store yeast dough in the refrigerator?

If there is little product left after cooking, put it in one plastic bag. If the quantity is large, divide it into several pieces. To prevent them from sticking to your hands and the walls of the bag:

• lightly dredge lumps in flour;
• or, moisten your hands in vegetable oil, give them the shape of koloboks.

The plastic bag for storing yeast dough should be strong enough (some housewives use two) and spacious. Indeed, at a temperature that is usually kept in the refrigerator (4-6 ° C), the yeast only slows down, but does not stop its vital activity. Therefore, at least slightly, the mass will rise here too. You need to leave room for this, otherwise the package will be torn.

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How long can yeast dough be stored in the refrigerator? The correct answer is one day, maximum two. The longer it stays there, the greater the risk that it will become sour.

The semi-finished product that you bought in the store may have already been stored for some time. So it is advisable to put it into action as soon as possible.

How to properly freeze yeast dough

Is it possible to freeze yeast dough? Yes. If the product needs to be stored for a longer period, the package must be placed in the freezer. In this case, you can squeeze it with your hands so that excess air comes out and the dough takes up less space in the freezer. It will not rise under these conditions and can be stored for up to 2 months.

We answer the question: how to defrost yeast dough?

The defrosting process will take several hours. Experts recommend moving the frozen briquette, which resembles a stone, from the freezer to the refrigerator and leaving it there for a while, for example, overnight. And only when the dough softens, bring it to a warm room so that it “reaches.”

If in this case, after the end of cooking, part of the product turns out to be unclaimed, it can no longer be put back into the freezer.

All of the above also applies to pizza dough: yeast dough is also used for its preparation.

What if there is no refrigerator?

In this case, the dough needs to be “drowned”:

1. We wrap it tightly in a plastic bag, then in a second one less tightly, then in a third even more loosely.
2. Pour half a bucket of cold water and drop the dough into it.

First it sinks to the bottom and then floats up. People call this dough “drowned” or “diver”.

Once floating, it can be stored for up to 6 hours. If it takes longer, then it should be kneaded, releasing carbon dioxide, and the procedure should be repeated, while replacing the water with fresh water. This will extend the storage time by another 6 hours.

Baking from “recessed” dough turns out to be very loose, airy, tender, and baked products are stored longer.

Recipe 2: Kefir dumpling dough

A very simple recipe. There are only two components – kefir and flour. Suitable for dumplings, dumplings, pasties. The leftover dough can be fried or baked into flatbreads. You can’t roll it very thin, but it doesn’t tear when cooked, it’s tasty, soft, almost fluffy. This dough can be frozen, and when it thaws, add a little flour, because... it becomes wet and sticky, and you can start sculpting.

Ingredients : a glass of kefir (250ml), 350-400g flour.

Cooking method

Pour kefir into a bowl, add about half a portion of flour and stir with a spoon until smooth. Then gradually add the remaining flour in small portions, kneading the dough with your hands. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 40 minutes, more if possible, and make dumplings.

Description of the problem

Many people have found themselves in a situation where the dumplings they bought for some reason melted and stuck together in a heap. This can happen if you take a long time to get home from the store, if you forget to put the purchased product in the refrigerator, or if the electricity at home is turned off. In this case, the dumplings stick to each other so that they cannot be separated without damaging them. Often they are one continuous lump. It is impossible to cook such a product, as it turns out to be a prison with separate pieces of meat and pieces of dough. Many people throw away this product, because not everyone knows what to do if the dumplings have melted and stuck together.

Sometimes it also happens that this product sticks together when frozen. Most often this happens with homemade dumplings or when the technology for their production is violated. At the same time, it is also impossible to cook them normally, since when separating the dumplings from each other, they tear and damage each other. If you cook such dumplings, they will inevitably fall apart. Therefore, it is not recommended to separate them forcibly if the dumplings are stuck together.

Recipe 3: Classic dumpling dough

It is impossible to say that this is the most correct dough for dumplings. As there is probably no single correct recipe to be guided by as a standard. But this is the most traditional and common cooking option. The dough needs to be rolled out as thin as possible, but without fanaticism, there is no need to stretch it into tissue paper. To get very cold water, you need to place a glass of liquid in the freezer until a thin crust of ice begins to form on the surface.

Ingredients : cold water - ½ cup, 2 large eggs, a teaspoon of salt, flour - 2 cups.

Cooking method

The dough can be kneaded on the counter, a large cutting board, or in a bowl. Mix flour and salt, build a slide. Make a small hole in the center of the slide and first beat in one egg, stirring with a fork, then the second. Then begin to slowly pour in cold water in portions and knead the mixture with your hands. Form a ball and crush it. This is not an easy task, because... The dough is a little tight, but the consistency of the finished dough will allow you to roll it into a fairly thin layer. If the dough is a little dry, add a little water, and if, on the contrary, it is too soft and sticky, add more flour. After ten to fifteen minutes, after thoroughly kneading, let the dough rest for at least an hour. During this time it is left on the table. Cover the top (with an inverted bowl, napkin, towel) to prevent it from airing.

Dish number 2 – pizza

Sticky dumplings can be an excellent base for making meat pizza. Roll out the thawed mixture on a cutting board using a rolling pin into a circle. Cover a baking tray with baking paper and place the prepared layer on it. Soak the dough with meat in tomato sauce or use mayonnaise and ketchup.

Evenly distribute slices of tomatoes, sausage or ham, use mushrooms, onions, chicken or peppers. Pizza toppings can vary depending on preference. Grate the cheese on a fine grater and sprinkle the dish generously with it. Place it in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. In 25-30 minutes, the aromatic and tasty meat pizza will be ready. It is unlikely that anyone will be able to guess that it was made from dumplings.

Recipe 4: Dough for dumplings with milk

This dough makes dumplings tender, soft and tasty. It is quite simple to prepare, although not quite usual. The ingredients are listed for a large number of dumplings. You can immediately make a large batch and store it in the freezer.

Ingredients : kilogram of flour, 0.5 liters of milk, half a teaspoon of salt, 2 eggs.

Cooking method

Mix eggs, salt, milk in a saucepan. Add enough flour to make a thin dough, like for pancakes. Put on fire. Just not on high, you need to keep the fire low. As it heats up, the mass will thicken and swell. It must be stirred so that it does not burn and is homogeneous, without lumps. As soon as the mass thickens, remove it from the heat. It is NOT necessary to bring to a boil to prevent the egg whites from curdling. Add the rest of the flour and knead well. It should be non-sticky, dense and elastic. Let it rest for about half an hour and start cutting.

Useful tips from experienced chefs

— To make the dumplings more tasty, the dough must be rolled out thinly, up to 1-2 mm thick.

— To prevent dumplings from sticking together, they are boiled in a wide, low bowl in a large amount of water.

— To get multi-colored dumplings, the dough can be tinted with natural dyes. For a yellow color, you need to add a pinch of turmeric, 1 g of saffron, or instead of a whole egg, put 2-3 brightly colored yolks. Spinach puree will give the green color - take 1 part puree to 2 parts flour. The red color will be given by tomato paste - 1 tablespoon added to one egg included in the recipe.

— Dumplings are not only boiled, they can also be fried using fat or vegetable oil. It is not recommended to take butter, because... it will burn and smoke.

What to cook from sticky dumplings at home

If, however, the dumplings are stuck together so that it is not possible to separate them, simply use them to prepare an original new dish. There are a lot of options, and we present you with some of them.

Fried lazy dumplings

Usually lazy dumplings are small rolls of minced meat wrapped in dough. In our case, it will be cut dumplings.

• 500 g dumplings;
• vegetable or butter for frying.

1. Leave the dumplings to melt completely. You can even pack them in a bag and place them in warm water.
2. Roll out the resulting mass into a thick sausage and keep it in the freezer for a few minutes: the mass will set a little to make it easier to cut.

To make cutting easier, keep it in the freezer for a while.

Fry lazy dumplings until golden brown

Dumpling pizza

And this recipe became very popular for several years thanks to a quote from the popular Internet resource bash.org.ru. The sticky dumpling mass will be an excellent base for pizza. I can personally recommend this method; the filling can be anything you like. You'll even be glad that the dumplings stuck together and you have the opportunity to make pizza like this again. Sometimes I even deliberately let them stick together.

Sticky dumplings make an excellent base for pizza

• 500 g dumplings;
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise;
• 1 tablespoon of ketchup;
• ½ teaspoon mustard;
• 150 g ham;
• ½ red onion;
• 1 tomato;
• 3 mozzarella balls;
• salt, ground pepper - to taste;
• 150 g hard cheese;
• greens for decoration - optional.

Place the defrosted sticky dumplings on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Roll out into a low layer, forming a circle out of it.

Sticky dumplings roll out well into a layer for the crust

Place any filling on the prepared crust, and most importantly - more cheese!

Video: dumpling pizza recipe

Dumpling casserole

This is also a fairly simple way to use stuck together dumplings without much expense. Take the following products:

• 1–2 heads of onions;
• oil for greasing the pan and baking dish;
• 500 g dumplings;
• salt, ground black pepper - to taste;
• 3 chicken eggs;
• 250 g mayonnaise;
• 100 g hard cheese;
• greens for decoration.

Let's cook like this.

1. Turn on the oven and set the temperature to 200°C - it should be well heated by the time you put the casserole in it. Chop the onion and fry it in a frying pan in oil for 2-3 minutes. Grease a baking dish and heat it in the oven for a couple of minutes so that the dumplings do not stick to it later.
2. Place the defrosted sticky dumplings in the mold and distribute evenly. Salt, add pepper and add fried onions.
3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Pour the mixture over the dumplings until they are completely covered. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.
4. Place the casserole dish for 40 minutes. When it's ready, sprinkle it with chopped herbs.

Casserole is a great way to beat stuck dumplings

How to make lasagna from dumplings

The very popular Italian dish lasagna can also be prepared using dumplings. You will need the following products:

• 500 g dumplings;
• 140 g hard cheese;
• 6 tomatoes;
• oil for lubricating the mold;
• 100 g mayonnaise;
• 100 g sour cream;
• 2 eggs;
• salt, ground black pepper - to taste.

Sticky dumplings are also great for Italian lasagna.

1. Defrost the dumplings first. Preheat the oven at 180° C. Meanwhile, grate the cheese and cut the tomatoes into circles.
2. Grease the pan with oil and place half of the dumpling mass on the bottom, rolled out into an even layer. Place half the tomatoes on top. Cover with another layer of dumplings, on which place the remaining tomatoes.
3. Beat eggs in a bowl with mayonnaise, sour cream and spices. Pour over the lasagna and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, then serve.