Kreplach aren’t Jewish wontons. The traditional dumplings are a kabbalistic food expressing the nature of Divine judgement. The white dough covering stands for Divine mercy, while the red meat filling stands for Divine justice. In Jewish mysticism, red, the color of blood, represents strict justice while white, the color of milk, represents mercy and love. Kreplach incorporate both, and on Yom Kippur, when G-d inscribes the judgement, we want the justice to be covered with mercy, like the meat of the kreplach encased in its blanket of white dough. Chickens are used during the pre-Yom Kippur atonement ritual of kaparot, which can be performed by swinging a live chicken over one’s head and reciting a prayer that declares that the chicken is going to its death in place of the person performing the ritual (traditionally, the chicken used for the ritual is slaughtered and donated to the poor for the pre-Yom Kippur meal). The stark drama of the kaparot ritual demonstrates the fragility of our existence and inspires us toward repentance. For this reason, it’s an ancient tradition to float kreplach in chicken soup eaten at the pre-fast meal. Yield: 32 kreplach

Directions

Make the Dough

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add egg, egg yolk, and water and work into a soft, smooth dough using a wooden spoon (you can also use a food processor fitted with the metal blade). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Make the Kreplach

1. When ready to make kreplach, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

2. Combine beef, onion (if using), and pepper in a bowl and mix well. On a heavily floured surface or using a hand-cranked pasta maker, roll out dough as thin as it will stretch. Cut dough into three-inch squares; you should have 32.

3. Place half a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square. Fold squares over into triangles and pinch edges closed. Drop finished kreplach into boiling water; stirring gently with a wooden spoon to keep kreplach separate, and let simmer for 20 minutes.

4. If you see kreplach sticking together in the pot, separate gently with the wooden spoon. After 20 minutes, remove from pot with a slotted spoon or wire skimmer and serve right away in hot soup, or freeze.

Tips:

For the thinnest, most professional-looking kreplach, use a hand-cranked pasta maker.

Notes:

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About

This recipe is excerpted from Jewish Soul Food (2015).

Recipe tags

Boiled Carol Ungar Chicken soup Chopped meat Classic Jewish foods Delicious Dumplings Filled food Freezer-friendly Ground beef Ground meat Jewish food Jewish foods Jewish Holiday Jewish holidays Jewish Soul Food Kreplach Kreplich Make ahead Mince Stuffed Traditional Traditional food Traditional Jewish food Yom kippur