Stuffed and Rolled Pasta (Kyrgyz Oromo)

Anything coiled up is infinitely better than the same item not coiled. Think cinnamon rolls princess Leia's hair really flexible kitty cats napping and now, this Kyrgyz dish of rolled and coiled pasta filled with various stuffing is pure genius. Unlike Italian stuffed pastas, no cheese is used as binder. Instead the filling is commonly meat and veggies (such as sweet potatoes or pumpkin). While it remains a decidedly simple recipe, some southern regions of Kyrgyzstan are said to add herbs to their fillings. Like most meals in Kyrgyzstan, this recipe does not use a lot of ingredients. There are three main stars in our filling: lamb, sweet potato and onion. That's it. Before you get started on this little journey you'll need a steamer, preferably metal but bamboo will do just fine.

Filling:
1½ cups sweet potato or pumpkin, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 lb lamb, trimmed of fat and finely chopped (about 2 cups)
kosher or sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Pasta Dough:
5 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
4 large eggs
water (about 1/3 cup, or as needed)

Make the Pasta Dough:
Use your eggs to make a well in the flour. Crack them into the well and beat them, pulling in a little flour at a time. Some people use a fork, but I like to use my fingertips.

When the mixture turns into a shaggy mass, add a little water at a time until ti forms a nice, soft (but not sticky) ball. I almost always use 1/3 cup - sometimes a little more. Knead for a few minutes to bring it together. Next, set the dough aside to rest.

After resting for at least 30 minutes (longer is fine - you can refrigerate overnight - then bring back to room temperature before working it), all the bumps will smooth out - it'll be ready for rolling. It's like a completely different dough.

Prepare the Filling:
You'll want to chop everything up really small - about a ¼" at the biggest. You may also consider running everything through the meat grinder for a quicker, finer mix and a fun variation.

Add everything to a bowl with salt and pepper. Be sure to season it well - maybe ½ tsp. of pepper and more salt than that. Taste and adjust to your preference.

Give everything a good mix. If you'd like more sweet potato, add it. If you'd like more meat, chop some extra.

Assembly:
Divide the now rested and smooth pasta dough into four pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out as thin as you can - about 2 mm thick is good. The thinner you do it the more delicate the final dish. Of course, if you dont get it very thin it'll take longer to steam and your coil won't be as epic. No biggie though.

Cover with ¼ of the filling and roll up the pasta into a long tube. Next, coil it around itself. Repeat and add the second coil to the first, making it twice as big. Do this again with the remaining two pieces of dough so you end up with two coils of pasta.

Steam for 45 minutes to an hour, or until cooked through. Add extra water as needed in the pot.

Slice into pie shaped pieces and enjoy with a dollop of yogurt sauce and serve.