In Medieval times Jews would place a wish for the New Year on a piece of paper and seal it in dough. They wore this sealed dough around their necks as amulets. Serving Kreplach (triangles of dough sealed around a meat filling) in soup on Kol Nidre night is an off shoot of this practice. We all wish to be sealed in the book of life for the coming year.

The following recipe is made easier by using prepared wonton skins. The only drawback is that these kreplach will be delicate instead of chewy like your grandmothers’s!

Ingredients

• 1 4-5 pound fowl or yearling (soup chicken), roaster will do
• 5 quarts water or water to cover
• 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into thirds
• 1 large onion, peeled but left whole
• 1 turnip, peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 stalks celery with leaves cut into thirds
• 3 or more carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 inch lengths
• Fresh dill, 3 or more sprigs to taste
• Fresh parsley, 2 sprigs or more if parsnip isn’t being used
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into pieces. Place pieces in a large soup pot and cover with water.
2. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes skimming the top of the liquid of all the brown foam.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and cook over a low heat until the chicken is quite tender and the vegetables are soft, about 2 to 3 hours.
4. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon. Discard the dill and parsley. Remove the vegetables to nibble on and save the carrot for later use in the soup. Strain the soup so that it is nice and clear.
5. Place the soup in a clean pot and add the carrots and cooked kreplach and heat until nice and hot. Serve.

KREPLACH

• 1/2-pound fresh ravioli dough or wonton skins
• 2 cups cooked meat, finely chopped (meat shreds from your sliced pot roast are perfect!)
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1-teaspoon chicken fat
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Cut dough into 2 inch squares.
   Combine the meat, onion (here you are using it raw, but if you like, sautéed onion may be used instead), chicken fat, salt and pepper and egg. Set aside.
2. Place a teaspoon of filling on each square.
3. Add a little water to the dish used for the beaten egg.
4. Brush the top edges of the dough with a little egg/water wash.
   Fold the dough in half on the diagonal to make a triangle. Pinch the edges together to make a seal. Press the back of a fork around the edge to crimp and seal again.
   Cook in boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until done. Serve in the chicken soup or alternatively, fry in a little oil.

NOTE: Wonton skins will make the kreplach a little thinner than Bubbe’s!

Tags: brisket, chicken, Meat, pasta, Yom Kippur

This recipe is filed under Recipes, Soups & Salads.