Cepelinai ( "zeppelins"; singular: cepelinas) are potato dumplings made from grated potatoes and stuffed with ground meat, dry curd cheese, liver, or mushrooms. It has been described as a national dish of Lithuania, and is typically served as a main dish.
Originally called didà ¾kukuliai, or dumb-bells, they were renamed modishly in honour of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, pioneer of the rigid airship, in 1900. The cepelinai shape resembles a Zeppelin airship. Cepelinai are typically around 10âÂÂ30 cm long, although the size depends on where they are made: in the western counties of Lithuania cepelinai are made bigger than in the east. In Samogitia cepelinai are called cepelinÃÂ.
After boiling, the cepelinai are often served with sour cream sauce and bacon bits or pork rinds.
In the Suwaà Âki Region, Podlachia, Warmia and Masuria, it is known as kartacz (: grapeshot). It is part of the cuisine of north-eastern Poland.
Similar dishes include Polish pyzy, Swedish kroppkaka, Acadian poutine râpée, Norwegian raspeball, German KartoffelklöÃÂe and Italian canederli.