Kreplach: Recreating a Favorite Hometown Food

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Craving a special hometown food? Learn how to make one reader’s favorite kreplach, the traditional Jewish dumpling filled with meat.

There’s just something about a deli that fills people with comfort and nostalgia. Maybe it’s the large portions of simple-yet-decadent food, or the fact that some delis (like the famous Katz’s) have been around for over a century. Either way, it’s no surprise that people don’t just go to delis for the food- they go for the memories, too.

Delis- short for delicatessens- have been a mainstay of the American restaurant scene since the 1800s. German immigrants came to the US in large numbers, bringing with them foods such as sausages, pickles, beer, pretzels, and sauerkraut. When Jewish immigrants made their way to the US from eastern Europe a few decades later, they expanded upon what their German predecessors (some of whom were also Jewish) had started, establishing both kosher and non-kosher delis. (To learn more, check out this article.)

Remembering an old favorite

Marissa of Redondo Beach, California, grew up outside of Chicago and fondly remembers a favorite dish from her hometown deli:

“If you’re from the Chicago suburbs and grew up in the 1990’s and early 2000’s you were raised on a restaurant called The Bagel.

For a restaurant with that name, I don’t think I ever once saw someone order a bagel. You see, The Bagel was a Jewish deli meets breakfast house meets old school family dining establishment, all with a Broadway theme. They were known for their soups and sandwiches, as well as their pancakes, and especially for the large tray of pickles that they would bring to your table the minute you sat down.

Sadly, The Bagel closed a couple of years ago. This was the only place I knew that made kreplach soup and since it’s closure there has been a large kreplach shaped hole in my heart.”

What are kreplach?

Kreplach are traditional Jewish dumplings filled with meat. They can be served in a soup, like the one served at The Bagel, or pan-fried. Marissa has kindly shared her recipe with us so we can all try them for ourselves!

“This recipe is a tribute to the best kreplach soup from my favorite deli in my hometown,” says Marissa. “It is nostalgic and comforting and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!”

Traditional Jewish Kreplach

Filling:

1 Pound ground beef (I used 85/15)
½ White onion
2 Cloves garlic
1 Teaspoon kosher salt
½ Teaspoon ground black pepper

Chop the onion and place into a sautee pan over medium heat. Cook for 5-8 minutes until translucent. Add the chopped garlic cloves and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Remove the onion and garlic from the pan. Brown the ground beef until cooked through.

Place the onion mixture and ground beef (along with any fat in the pan) into a food processor and pulse 6-8 times until a rough paste forms.

Dough:

2 Cups all purpose flour
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon salt
¼ Cup cold water

Place the flour, eggs, and salt into a food processor. Turn the food processor on and slowly add the cold water in through the spout until a ball of dough forms.

Once the dough begins to come together, take out of the food processor and knead just a couple of times.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes (wrapped in plastic wrap).

Once the dough is rested, roll out the dough and cut into 2inx2in squares. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling into the center of each square.

Take one corner of the dough and fold over so that it is on top of the corner diagonal from it. Pinch the sides together well to make sure they are sealed.

With the remaining two corners, fold them towards the middle of the triangle and press them together.

Boil the kreplach in a large pot of salted water for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy in chicken soup or pan fry them for a delicious snack!

Thanks for sharing your memory and recipe with us, Marissa!

Marissa is working on her own cookbook of recipes that remind her of the places she calls home. Follow her blog, North Shore to South Bay, and her Instagram page for updates and delicious food photos!