A Forgotten Classic

If you consider yourself knowledgeable about Russian cuisine, but have never heard of telnoye, don’t worry. You are not alone.

A staple of both the gentry and peasant kitchen from at least the seventeenth century, telnoye has been mostly forgotten. And even those who have heard of the dish associate it with what is known as zrazy,
crescent-shaped fried cutlets made from minced fish. Traditionally, however, telnoye has been so much more: it can be deep-fried, boiled in a cloth, baked, or used as stuffing.

I would even venture a guess that the baked version is the most authentic when it comes to Russian peasant cuisine, as a traditional Russian stove is best suited to that purpose.