Coltunasi — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Small half-moon dumplings filled with fresh cheese, potatoes, or cherries, boiled until tender and served with sour cream and melted butter.

Ingredients

300g all-purpose flour
1 egg
100ml water
Pinch of salt
For filling: 250g fresh cheese (brânză)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
Sour cream for serving
50g butter, melted
Fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

1 Make dough by combining flour, egg, water, and salt. Knead for eight minutes until smooth and elastic. Rest covered for thirty minutes.
2 Mix crumbled brânză with egg yolk, sugar, and salt for the filling. The mixture should hold together when squeezed.
3 Roll dough thin on a floured surface. Cut circles using a glass or round cutter about eight centimeters across.
4 Place a teaspoon of filling on each circle. Fold in half and press edges firmly with a fork to seal completely.
5 Boil dumplings in salted water for five minutes after they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.
6 Arrange on a warm platter, drizzle with melted butter and serve with generous dollops of sour cream and fresh dill.

Did You Know?

Making coltunasi is traditionally a family affair in Moldova, with everyone from grandchildren to grandparents sitting around the table filling and folding dumplings together.