Bosnian Meat Dumplings (Klepe)
Klepe Say it: KLEH-peh
Small, pleated dumplings filled with seasoned minced meat, klepe are a Sarajevo and central Bosnian comfort dish. Boiled until tender, they meet cool garlic yogurt and warm paprika butter at the table, so each bite is savory, lightly tangy, and rich. The shaping takes some hands-on time, but the dough and filling are simple, and the process finds a rhythm once you start folding.
Bosnian Meat Dumplings (Klepe)
Klepe
Pronounced KLEH-peh
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 1 hr 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
Filling
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Paprika Butter
Method
For the dough, put the flour and salt in a large bowl and stir with a whisk. Form a hollow in the middle, then add the eggs and water. Work with a fork until the mixture looks rough and shaggy. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
While the dough rests, make the filling. Put the ground beef, finely grated lightly squeezed onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika in a medium bowl. Blend well with your hands or a spoon and set aside.
Shape the dough. Cut the rested dough into 4 pieces. Keep the pieces you are not using covered. On a floured surface, roll one piece at a time as thinly as you can, about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm). Cut the sheet into 2.5-inch (6 cm) squares.
Fill each square with a heaped teaspoon of the meat mixture. Brush or dab the edges with water, fold the square into a triangle, and press the seam firmly closed while pushing out trapped air. Take the two bottom corners of the triangle, bring them together around your finger, and pinch to make a small ring. Set the shaped klepe on a floured tray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the klepe in batches and stir once gently so they do not stick. Boil for 8–10 minutes; they are done when they rise to the top, the dough is tender, and the filling reaches 160°F (71°C). Lift them out with a slotted spoon and let them drain.
For the garlic yogurt, whisk the yogurt, garlic, and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
For the paprika butter, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the paprika and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until it smells fragrant and turns deep red. Do not let it burn; take the pan off the heat.
To serve, put the warm klepe on a platter or on individual plates. Add a generous spoonful of garlic yogurt, then drizzle with the paprika butter. Serve right away.
Regional variant: Lenten Klepe (posne klepe)
For the Orthodox fasting version, swap the meat filling for mashed potatoes mixed with sautéed finely chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Leave out the yogurt sauce and butter. Serve the boiled klepe with a light sauce of sautéed onion and tomato paste, or drizzle them with olive oil and crushed garlic.
Cook's notes
- While you work, keep the dough under a damp cloth so it does not dry out.
- A pasta roller makes quick work of the dough; run it to the thinnest setting for delicate klepe.
- To freeze, place uncooked klepe in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze until firm, then put them in a zip-top bag. Boil from frozen and add 2–3 minutes to the cooking time.
Serve with
Offer fresh somun (Bosnian flatbread) and a simple tomato-cucumber salad alongside; cold ayran or a yogurt drink is a good match.
Make ahead and storage
Freeze uncooked klepe on a tray, then keep them in a bag for up to 3 months; boil from frozen and add 2–3 minutes. Cooked leftovers can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat gently in the microwave or in the sauce.
Questions cooks ask
How do you make Bosnian klepe?
Make a dough from flour, eggs, salt, and lukewarm water, knead 8–10 minutes, and rest 30 minutes. Fill 2.5-inch (6 cm) squares with seasoned ground beef, fold into triangles, and pinch the corners into rings. Boil in salted water 8–10 minutes, then serve with garlic yogurt and paprika butter.
What is klepe from Bosnia?
Klepe are small, pleated dumplings filled with seasoned minced meat, described as a Sarajevo and central Bosnian comfort dish. The dough is rolled thin, cut into squares, filled, folded into triangles, and pinched into rings. They are boiled until tender and served with cool garlic yogurt and warm paprika butter.
Can you freeze klepe?
Yes. Place uncooked klepe in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm, then transfer them to a zip-top bag. They keep for up to 3 months. Boil them from frozen and add 2–3 minutes to the cooking time.
How long do you boil klepe?
Boil klepe in batches in a large pot of salted water for 8–10 minutes. Stir once gently so they do not stick. They are done when they rise to the top, the dough is tender, and the filling reaches 160°F (71°C). Lift them out with a slotted spoon and let them drain.
What is the fasting version of klepe?
For Lenten klepe (posne klepe), swap the meat filling for mashed potatoes mixed with sautéed finely chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Leave out the yogurt sauce and butter. Serve with a light sauce of sautéed onion and tomato paste, or drizzle with olive oil and crushed garlic.
