Rus Cuisine: Vareniky - The Soul of Ukraina

Rus Cuisine: Vareniky - The Soul of Ukraina

Vareniky, a stuffed dumpling with its origins somewhere in the dim past, circa 500BC, are the heart and soul of Ukrainian cuisine. There are in Ukraine, restaurants called "varenikiskas" that serve nothing but a wide and plentiful Varenik1variety of vareniky. This traditional Ukrianian food has been claimed by Russia, is more commonly known by its Polish name, "pirogies" and as defined item in almost all Slavic cuisines. The earliest mention of these delectable delights is found in caravan jounals dating back to the Roman times. The Scythians & Circassians made & ate these wonderful taste treats as is documented in numerous wrings about them. We know also that the Khazars also made & ate these tasty treats. The expertise of making the dough was brought from China by the caravan traders of old "Silk Road" as they travelled to what is today Istanbul, Turkey. They passed across southern Ukraine on one of the legs of the northern route of the Silk Road.

All vareniky start with a basic dough that is akin to lasagne noodles but yet different. Some make their vareniky with just water as the liquid but the best ones use mineral water with gas (carbonation). Once the dough is rolled out to a thickness of about 1/16" to 1/8" it is cut into circles approximately 2 1/2"-3" in diameter. A small amount of the stuffing is them placed on to the center of the dough circle. The edges are folded over, pressed together usually with a fork to seal them. These neat little packets are then dropped into boiling water a few at a time. They simmer until the float to the top which indicates that they are done. Then they are removed, drained & the remaining vareniky are cooked.

Depending upon the type of stuffing these may served as an entree, an appetizer or a dessert. These stuffings cover a wide range of ingredients. Traditionally the most common are those stuffed with mashed potatoes with carmelized onions, mashed potatoes with cheese, cheese ( tvorog), shredded cabbage, sauerkraut (kapusta), cabbge fried with bits of pork and onion or cabbage with bits of chicken and onion. The tastiest may contain minced mushrooms with onion, cheese with ham or even fish with onions and dill. Dessert vareniky contain fruits, cheese, preserves, jams & other sweet items.

Sometimes vareniky are added to soups just as they are served. Traditionally & customarily vareniky are served slathered with butter if they contain vegetable filling, If they contain meat or fruit then it is sour cream that is used to slather them. No matter what kind you eat they are good! It is now possible to buy these tasty delights frozen in supermarkets but in the US and Canada they will be called by their Polish name, pirogies.

The following recipes are for the best vareniky to be found anywhere even in Ukraine......ENJOY!

                                    Vareniky Recipes

Basic Vareniky Dough
Yield: 6 Servings

4 c Flour
1/2 c Milk warmed not hot
1 ea Egg
1 ea Egg Yolk
1 ts Butter not margarine
2 tb Sour cream
1/2 ts Salt

Mix ingredients and knead into a soft & pliable dough.
Cover & let sit for 10 minutes in a warm bowl.
Knead for 15-20 minutes at most.
Divide the dough in 1/2. Roll thin to about 1/8".
Cut into 2" squares or use the rim of a large round glass.
Take 1 piece & stretch slightly, place a small spoonfull of filling in the center, fold dough over & very carefully seal the edges.
Wetting the edge very slightly insures a good seal.
Now you must do 1 of the 2 options below:

Option #1:
Place varenyeki in the pot of salted boiling water & cook until they float, gently remove from pot with a slotted spoon, cook in a skillet with melted butter & onions on a medium heat. Allow to brown, if you wish. This option is for the meat or potato verenyeki only.

Option #2:
Place into a freezer bag & freeze. To prepare after freezing just drop into the boiling salted water, cook until they float, gently remove with a slotted spoon, place on a draining rack, drizzle with melted butter, serve. Spoon on large dollops of sour cream. This is for the cheese or fruit varenyeki.

*Note:
You may also sprinkle with sugar if you wish.

ORIGIN:

Taisa Kamnatskaya, Kyiv-Ukraine


Basic Varenyki Fillings
4 Swervings

MEAT FILLING
2 tb Butter
1 tb Vegetable oil
1/2 c Finely chopped onions
1 ts Salt
1/2 c Finely chopped onions
6 oz Lean beef chuck ground twice
1 tb Butter soft
6 oz Fresh pork fat ground twice
1/2 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1 c Sour cream

APPLE FILLING
2 ea Apples cored & peeled
1 ts Cinnamon powder
1 ts Lemon juice fresh 2 tb Butter

Chop apples sautee in melted butter, remove, drain and mix well with cinnamon, sugar, & lemon juice.
Place 1 ts of this mixture into center of each varenyk.

STRAWBERRY FILLING
1 c Straberries chopped
1 tb Sugar
1 ts Lemon juice fresh

Mix berries with sugar, lemon juice.
Place 1 ts in center of each varenyk.

BLUEBERRY FILLING
1 c Blueberries crushed
1 tb Sugar

Mix berries with sugar, lemon juice.
Place 1 ts in each varenyk.

PLUM OR PRUNE FILLING
1 c Plums pitted & chopped
1 ts Lemon juice fresh
1 ts Sugar

 Mince plums or prunes, add sugar & lemon juice.
Place 1 ts of this mixture in center of each varenyk.

BLACKBERRY-RASPBERRY FILLING
1 c Blackberries or raspberries crushed
1 tb Sugar
1 ts Lemon juice

Mix berries with suagr & lemon juice.
Place 1 ts in center of each varenyk.

COTTAGE-CHEESE (TVOROG) FILLING
2 qt Cottage cheese large curd*

*NOTE:
Low fat is ok

Place the cottage cheese into a cheese cloth bag and squeeze as much of the moisture out of the cheese as possible.
Place 1 TS of the cheese into center of each varenyk.

Varenyk
POTATO FILLING
1 1/2 c Mashed potatoes
1/4 c Onions minced & sauteed

Mix mashed potatoes & minced onions together.
Place 1 ts of this mixture into center of each varenyk.

SAUERKRAUT - KAPUSTA FILLING #1
3 ea Slices cooked bacon diced
1 lg Onion chopped
3 1/2 c Sauerkraut packaged*
1 1/2 tb Tomato paste
2 ts Sugar
1/3 c Chicken broth

*NOTE:
Rinse kraut and squeeze thoroughly dry.

ORIGIN:

Maya Kamnotsky-Houston, Tampa, FL. (R.I.P.)


Varenyky Z Kvashenoiu Kapustoiu - Sauerkraut Vareniky

1 lb Sauerkraut washed in cold running water squeezed dry & minced
4 tb Butter
1/4 c Butter
1 c Onions minced
1/4 ts Sugar
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tb Sour cream
1 c Sour cream

Melt 1 tb butter in a large heavy skillet & add sauerkraut. Fry over low heat for 3-5 mins. Stir occasionally with a fork until sauerkraut is almost completely dry. It should have begun to stick lightly to pan. Now scrape in into a bowl.
Melt 3 tb butter in skillet & add tonions. Fry over med-heat for 6-8 mins. stirring occasionally until onions are soft but not browned. Return the sauerkraut to the pan, stir in the sugar, salt & pepper then cover tightly.
Cook over low heat for 10-15 mins. Remove from heat, stir in 2 tb sour cream. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Roll out varenyky dough & cut into 3 1/2"-4" circles. Place 1 spoonful of the sauerkraut mixture on center of each circle. Fold each varenyky over, seal edges & cook as directed. To serve, arrange dumplings side-by-side on a warm platter. Slather varenyky with melted butter. Serve with a bowl of sour cream.

ORIGIN:

Taisa Kamnatsky, Kyiv-Ukraine, circa 1997


Babushka's Ukrainian Potato Vareniky
4 Servings

DOUGH
3 c Flour all-purpose
3/4 c Water approx. amount
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 1/2 ts Salt
4 ts Vegetable oil
1 ea Egg

FILLING
1 tb Butter
1 c Potatoes mashed cold
1/3 c Onion minced
 3/4 c Cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Pepper

DOUGH:
In bowl, combine flour with salt. Beat together egg, water & oil then stir into flour mixture.
It makes a soft but not sticky dough that holds together in a ball. If neeeded, add 1 Tb more water at a time.
Be careful not to make dough sticky.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface & knead about 10 times or till smooth.
Halve dough, cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth.
Allow to rest for 20 mins.

FILLINGS:
Heat butter over med-heat in a skillet. & cook onion for 3-5 mins. Transfer to a bowl, add mix in potatoes, cheese, salt & pepper Work only with one dough-ball at a time keep remaining dough covered, Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/16" thickness. Use a 3" round cutter or glass lip to cut dough into circles. Place 1 ts filling on each center of each circle. Lightly moisten edge of 1 circle of dough with water. Pinch edges together to seal & crimp attractively.
Place on cloth & cover with damp cloth to prevent dough from drying out. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add & cook perogies in batches of 6-8 for 2 mins. until they float to top. Stir gently to prevent perogies from sticking together or to bottom of pot. Use a slotted spoon remove to a colander to drain.
Melt butter over in a large heavy skillet over med-heat. Add & cook onion for about 5 mins. till golden. Add perogies & toss to coat and warm through.
Serve with sour cream.

VARIATIONS:
Cottage Cheese:
1 cup pressed cottage cheese
1 beaten egg
1/2 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
1 Tb chopped green onion.

Combine inggredients. Mix well. Place 1 dollop in center of each varenyk.

Mushroom:
Melt 2 Tb butter over med- heat in a skillet. Cook 3 cups chopped mushrooms & 1/3 cup minced onion for 7-9 mins. until moisture is evaporated. Remove from heat then stir in 1 egg yolk & 1 Tb chopped fresh dill. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

ORIGIN:

Nadya Sherenko, Milwaukee-WI


Cherry Vareniky Filling
Yield: 6 Servings

16 oz Cherries tart red pitted
1/2 c Sugar
3 tb Cornstarch
1/4 ts Cinnamon
1/8 ts Cloves
1 ea Egg white
23 oz Sour cherry preserves
6 tb Butter melted
1 pt Sour cream

Wash cherries in colander over bowl.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan.
Put in cherries with 1/4 cup of sugar & boil  for 3-mins.
Remove from heat, starin the cherries & reserve the liquid (syrup).

Place 1/4 ts preserves in center of each douch circle dough.
Roll 2 cherries in sugar mixture & set on top of preserves.
Pour reserved cherry syrup into saucepan.
Stir in 1 tb sugar & boil until reduced to 1/3 cup.
Spoon 1 tb melted butter over & sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over.
Top with a dollop of sour cream & drizzle cherry syrup over top.
Serve hot.

ORIGIN:

Luba Faronikova, Boryspol-Ukraine

Sources:

Taisa Kamnatskaya, Kyiv-Ukraine
Maya Kamnotskaya-Houston, Tampa-FL-USA, (deceased)
Nadya Sherenko, Milwaukee-WI-USA
Luba Faronikova, Boryspol-Ukraine

Cossack Cuisine of Ukraine in Ukrainian & English
Larisa Y. Tarashenko and Evegenia P. Vorodinov, Kyiv-Ukraine, 1999

Copyright © 2006 - 2008 Donald R Houston, PhD. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.