It is very traditional for Ashkenazic Jews to include kreplah in the chicken soup at the pre-fast Yom Kippur meal. According to one interpretation of the custom, the meat covered with dough symbolizes our hope that on the Day of Atronement, Gods strict justice will be covered with compassion and mercy.

Kreplah are eaten also on Hoshanah Rabbah (the seventh day of Sukkot) and Purim. Some say that we eat kreplah on the three holidays in which someone or something is beaten, because the meat inside the kreplah is prepared by chopping, which is sort of like beating. On the day before Yom Kippur, men may be symbolically flogged while they ask forgiveness for their sins; on Hoshanah Rabbah, willow branches are beaten; and, during the reading of the Megillah on Purim, we stamp or beat our feet against the floor whenever the name of the wicked Haman is said.

Be that as it may, kreplah are quite tasty and a good way to use up cooked meat. In fact, my mother insists that the only suitable filling is made from leftover roast beef, steak, and soup meat, which she saves in the freezer. When she has collected enough for a batch of kreplah (about 3/4 pound), and adds grated onion, 1 egg, salt, and pepper to make a filling.

If leftover meat is not available, fresh ground beef can be cooked for the filling, as in the recipe below.

For the dough, combine the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the eggs and water to the well and beat them with a fork. Gradually beat the flour into the egg mixture form a stiff dough. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add a bit more water; if it is too wet, add more flour. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and silky. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to 1 hour.

(note: The dough can be made in a food processor. Process the flour, salt, and eggs until crumbly. Then with the machine running, add the water. The mixture should form a ball. If it is too dry, add water; if it is too wet, add lour. After the ball is formed, process 30 seconds longer to knead it.)

For the filling, put the ground beef, onion, garlic (if used) into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the meat, pressing it often with a potato masher or fork to keep the pieces as small as possible. When the meat is completely cooked through, drain off all excess fat. Cool the meat. For a smoother, more compact, filling, process the cooked meat mixture in a food processor or put it through a meat grinder. Stir in the egg, salt, and pepper.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces, and keep the second one wrapped so it does not dry out. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first piece of dough to a very thin rectangle about 9 by 15 inches. Cut the dough into about 15 3-inch squares. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling on each square, and dab a little water along 1 perpendicular edges. Fold over the dough on the diagonal to form a triangle. Press the top and bottom edges together; then press on the edges with the tines of a fork to tightly seal them closed. Repeat with the second piece of dough, to make about 15 more kreplah.

(note: If desired, the kreplah may be frozen at this point. Freeze them in a single layer, uncovered, on a baking sheet; then put them into a plastic bag and seal it for storage. Do not thaw them before cooking; just cook them for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until they are done.)

To cook the kreplah, gently drop them into a large pot of lightly salted boiling water and simmer them for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are just tender but not mushy. (They will increase greatly in size as they cook.) Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon.

To serve the kreplah, reheat them in hot soup. (Or, if desired, drain the kreplah very well; then fry them in a small amount of hot oil, margarine, or rendered chicken fat until they are golden on both sides. Then serve them hot as hors doeuvres or as a side dish.)