Kreplach are one of the many Jewish foods that were created as a way to take a little bit of meat and to make it stretch into a fuller dish. I find that, at Thanksgiving, there’s always a bit of turkey left over from the holiday. Turkey-filled kreplach is a perfect way to use up that bit of extra meat and to turn it into something more exciting than just leftovers. If you also have some mashed potatoes, you could add that to the filling as well.
Did you know that eating is a metaphor for anything that we choose to take into ourselves from the outside world? This includes food, medicine and even ideas. Choose wisely!
Get more Jewish food thoughts here.
Excerpted from MODERN JEWISH COMFORT FOOD: 100 Fresh Recipes for Classic Dishes from Kugel to Kreplach by Shannon Sarna. Copyright © 2022. Used with permission of the publisher, Countryman Press. All rights reserved.
Ingredients
Servings 24 kreplach
For the kreplach dough:
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the filling:
- 2 cups leftover turkey a mixture of white and dark meat is fine
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutritional Facts
Nutrition Facts
Thanksgiving Turkey Kreplach
Amount per Serving
Calories
81
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
0.02
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
40
mg
13
%
Sodium
71
mg
3
%
Potassium
50
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
8
g
3
%
Fiber
0.3
g
1
%
Sugar
0.1
g
0
%
Protein
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
48
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
0.1
mg
0
%
Calcium
8
mg
1
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
Make the dough by hand:
- Combine the flour and fine sea salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the middle and add the eggs and oil. Knead until the dough is smooth.
- Alternatively, make the dough in a food processor: Combine all the dough ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the dough comes together, pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the fridge for 1 hour. You can prepare the dough a day in advance.
Make the filling:
- Finely chop the turkey meat. Place it in a medium bowl and combine with the egg, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Divide the dough into two portions, and keep the remaining piece of dough covered while rolling out the first. Using a pasta roller or rolling pin, roll into thin sheets, as thin as you can get.
- Cut the dough into approximately 3-inch squares. Place around 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of one square. Using your finger, dab the edges of the square with water and fold into a triangle, sealing the edges with your fingers or a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Place the kreplach on a lightly floured baking sheet and set aside until ready to cook.
- At this point, you can bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Add the kreplach and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Serve in turkey stock (recipe follows) or other homemade soup.
Notes
SERVE WITH
Turkey Stock
Serves 6 to 8
I think most Americans can agree that the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. In my family, my dad always made turkey noodle soup the day after Thanksgiving with the leftover turkey carcass. Fast forward, and I do the same thing. You can make this rich broth and serve simply with egg noodles, or even matzah balls. But another fun thing to do is to serve the turkey kreplach in the turkey stock itself, doing the ultimate Jewish thing: using every part of the animal.
INGREDIENTS
1 to 2 leftover turkey carcasses
1 large onion
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 celery stalks, cut into chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1 bunch of parsley
A few thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
Salt and freshly ground black pepper PREPARATION 1. Place all the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. 2. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming the top of the soup to remove fat and any scum that rises to the top. 3. Remove the turkey carcass and vegetables, and reserve the vegetables. Simmer the soup again over medium-low heat for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the stock has reduced just slightly and the flavor is rich. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 5. Serve with the reserved vegetables, diced leftover turkey meat, cooked kreplach, egg noodles, and matzah balls, if desired.
1 large onion
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 celery stalks, cut into chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1 bunch of parsley
A few thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
Salt and freshly ground black pepper PREPARATION 1. Place all the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. 2. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming the top of the soup to remove fat and any scum that rises to the top. 3. Remove the turkey carcass and vegetables, and reserve the vegetables. Simmer the soup again over medium-low heat for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the stock has reduced just slightly and the flavor is rich. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 5. Serve with the reserved vegetables, diced leftover turkey meat, cooked kreplach, egg noodles, and matzah balls, if desired.
