Varenyky: Ukrainian Dumplings

Ukrainians love to gather around the family table for home feasts. A favorite Ukrainian dish is varenyky – dumplings with sweet and savory fillings. You can go the sweet route and stuff them with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, or make savory dumplings stuffed with minced meat, mashed potato, or cooked sauerkraut.

Follow this recipe to cook up two versions of varenyky: strawberry or potato & cheese!

Smachnogo! (Enjoy your meal!)

Dumpling Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• For strawberry filling: 1 lb strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar
• For potato & cheese filling: 3 large potatoes, 8 oz cheddar cheese
• Sour cream (optional)

Instructions for Making Ukrainian Dumplings

1.  In a large bowl, mix flour, egg, and salt.
2.  Add water.
3.  Knead in a machine or by hand. (Add more water if needed to make dough soft and not too sticky.)
4.  Add vegetable oil, knead in.
5.  Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside for 10 min.
6.  For strawberry filling: Separate strawberries from their stems and cut each berry into 3-4 pieces. Add sugar and set aside for 30 min.
7.  For potato & cheese filling: Peel the potatoes and boil until soft. Mash the potatoes and set aside to cool. Slice the cheese into small cubes, and thoroughly mix with the mashed potatoes.
8.  On a floured board, take half the dough and roll it out until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
9.  With a cookie cutter (or a round glass) cut out circles. Combine scraps with the rest of the dough.
10.  Flatten one of the circles with your hand and place it in your palm.
11.  With a slotted spoon, fill up the circle with your filling.
12.  Make a half-moon, sealing the circle tight on the sides.
13.  Repeat with the other circles. (As you stuff your circles, boil a large pan of water. Salt the water.)
14.  Add 6-8 varenyky into the boiling water at a time.
15.  After 1 min, stir up the dumplings from the bottom.
16.  Boil for another 4 min. (Add cooking time for thicker dumplings.)
17.  Fish out varenyky with a slotted spoon.
18.  Serve your dumplings with sour cream. Smachnogo!

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