varenyky

This recipe has complete instructions for making Ukrainian potato and cheese pierogies from scratch and by hand. Simple and delicious this recipe is handed down for generations!

Traditional Ukrainian Pierogies

potatoes

200 g (1/2 pound) medium cheddar cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes

salt

flour (plus more if needed)

tsp salt

potato water

bacon or pork fat

To make the filling, boil the potatoes until tender. Drain water into a bowl. Set aside for later. Place cubed cheese on top of the cooked potatoes and cover with a lid. Let rest for about 5 minutes so that the cheese will melt. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and mash the potatoes and cheese with a hand blender, potato masher. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the dough, add the flour, egg and 1/2 tsp salt to a food processor bowl. Turn on the food processor. Slowly pour in the potato water until the dough forms a ball and then turn off the food processor.

Place the dough on a floured surface. Knead with floured hands. The dough should have the feel of pizza dough, elastic but not wet. Work in a little extra flour if the dough is too moist.

Divide the dough in 3. Roll out one ball of dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Use a pierogi press to make pierogies or use the instructions below to make them by hand.

Use a biscuit cutter or glass. Dredge the rim of a 3 to 3 1/2 inch glass in flour, then press the glass into the rolled out dough to cut a circle of dough. Place the dough round in your hand and spoon about a heaping tablespoon of potato and cheese filling into the middle of the dough. Pull the dough over the filling and pinch the edges. If the dough is dry, moisten a finger in water to help seal the edge.

Place the pierogi on a towel sprinkled with flour. Cover with another towel so the pierogi does not dry out. Continue to make the remaining pierogies.

To cook the pierogies, place them in boiling for about 8-10 minutes. The pierogies should rise to the surface of the water when they are finished cooking.

While the pierogies are boiling, fry the bacon or pork fat, until browned and crisp.

Toss the cooked pierogies in bacon, and bacon grease or the pork fat.

Serve with sour cream.

This Ukrainian varenyky recipe with traditional potato filling calls for just a handful of ingredients. It makes for the perfect weekend kitchen project. (This dough recipe is adapted from Mamushka by Olia Hercules [Weldon Owen, 2015])

Varenyky Recipe with Potato Filling

egg, lightly beaten

water

fine sea salt

extra virgin olive oil

onions,

black pepper

Unsalted butter,

Sour cream or unsweetened vegan yogurt,

Make the Dough: In a large bowl, stir together the egg, water, and salt until fully combined. Gradually mix in about 2 ⅔ cups of the flour and stir to combine into a shaggy dough. Turn it out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough with the heels of your palms for about 5 minutes, until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to your hands, sprinkling on more flour as needed. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover loosely with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for 30 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the Potatoes: Place the potatoes in a medium pot with enough water to cover by about 2 inches and a teaspoon of salt. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer with the lid ajar until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Cook the Onions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re dark brown and a bit crispy, about 15 minutes. Set the skillet aside.

Finish the Filling: Reserve 1/3 cup of the potato cooking water, drain the potatoes, and return them to the pot. Mash until smooth and stir in the reserved cooking water and a third of the fried onions with their oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the potatoes to room temperature.

Roll out the Dough: Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time (keep the remaining dough in the bowl covered with the towel), roll the dough between your palms into a thin log about 10 inches long and 1 inch thick. On a floured surface, cut the log into approximately 12 1-inch pieces (these should resemble gnocchi). Using a rolling pin dusted with flour, roll each piece into an approximately 3-inch circle; if the dough is sticking to the surface or rolling pin, dust it with more flour.

Fill the Dough: Working with 1 circle of dough at a time, place a heaping teaspoon of the potato filling into the center. Gather the dough into a half-moon shape around the filling and pinch the top closed, then pinch both edges closed. Place the shaped varenik on a well-floured board or tray and continue filling the rest of the dough. Make sure the varenyky are not touching &#8211; you do not want them to stick together.

Boil the Varenyky: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Boil the varenyky in batches &#8211; 6 to 10 at a time, depending on the size of your pot. Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes &#8211; they are done when they’ve floated to the surface, the water returns to a simmer, and they’ve been simmering for about 30 seconds. Do not overcook, as the filling may escape the dough.

Using a small mesh strainer or slotted spoon, fish the varenyky out and place in a large bowl. Add a small pat of butter (or drizzle of oil) and gently toss to prevent the varenyky from sticking together. Continue cooking the remaining varenyky. At the end, add all the remaining fried onions to the bowl and toss to coat.

Serve immediately, with sour cream or vegan yogurt. Leftover varenyky are great fried in a pan until crispy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhmrIOEj0UQ

For the complete recipe, head to: https://thenewbaguette.com/ukrainian-varenyky-recipe-potato-filling/

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