The Event ~ Making Fleischkuechle

Fleischkuechle is a type of meat pie wrapped in pastry dough. The dish is traditional Volga Deutsche/Germans from Russia recipe, and through immigration became an addition to the cuisine of North Dakota.  It is primarily made in the Beulah, Hazen, Zap North Dakota area.

My grandparents lived in Hazen and I remember Grandma Gallwas making these alot.  Tim remembers Grandma making them the first time we visited them in Hazen early in our marriage.   I remember making them once or twice early in our marriage.  My kids did not grow up with these, which is a shame.  I don't know why I didn't continue to make these a part of our cuisine. 

Thanks to all my relatives on Facebook, fleischkuekle has been resurrected again.  It seems many of my cousins are making these, which prompted me to make them again.  My recipe is in the church cookbook from the church Grandma and Grandpa Gallwas attended in Hazen.  My mom gave me that cookbook when I was a senior in high school. 

I need to really make these more often.  So good and so easy.

FLEISCHKUEKLE

Dough:  3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup evaporated milk.  Knead together to a soft dough.  Form balls the size of ping pong balls or walnuts.  Roll out into 6" circles.  Flatten spoonful of meat mixture onto half the circle into an oblong shape, and fold other half of circle over the meat, seal edges, and trim with pizza cutter.  Deep fry in hot oil till golden.  If meat doesn't get cooked through, they may be finished in the oven for about 5 minutes.  (Another dough recipe:  3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 cup evap milk, 3/4 cup water.)

Meat:  1# hamburger,   1 med onion diced fine, 1/2 cup water, salt, pepper, and garlice powder  to taste.  Mix thoroughly.

After making these, I had an urge to also make Blachindla, another recipe Grandma Gallwas always made.  I made it a few times, but then quit.  These, too, are so easy and so good.  I definitely will make these more often.    They are like a pumpkin turnover.

BLACHINDLA

Dough:  4 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tsp baking powder, 1 cup shortening, 2 eggs beateh, 1 cup milk.   Knead into soft dough.  Make into about 20 balls.  Roll each into 6" circles.   Place filling on one half side and fold dough over filled half, seal edges and trim.  Place on cookie sheets.  Bake about 30 minutes at 350 until light brown. 

Filling:  2 15 oz cans of pumkin, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, dash pepper. 

Recipe can be cut in half.  These freeze very well.

These old recipes bring many memories back of the time I spent at Grandma and Grandpa Gallwas's house in Hazen.  I remember riding the bus to North Dakota in the summer time and spending about two weeks with them.  I can just see Grandma cooking in her kitchen.  I vividly see her cutting knifla rope into chicken soup.  Knifla is a noodle dough, rolled into long ropes and cut with a scissor into pieces dropping them directly into the boiling pot on the stove. 


Grandma Gallwas and my mom in Grandmas' kitchen, probably in the late 50's early 60's.



Me in Grandma Gallwas' kitchen - 7 yrs old.

Yes, those were eventful days in my childhoood.  Eventful memories worth preserving, as are Grandma's recipes.