Halushky Potato Dumplings Ukraine Russia Recipes

VARENIKI

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the onions over medium heat, stirring regularly until they are golden brown, then drain them of their oil and place on plate lined with paper towel.
• Peel and boil the potatoes in a large amount of lightly salted water.
• Drain the potatoes using a large skimmer and keep the boiling water for cooking.
• Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl and, using a potato masher, mash the potatoes, gradually adding the boiling milk. Add the butter and, optionally, a little boiling water from the potatoes and mix until a slightly firm consistency is obtained.
• Add the fried onions and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• In a small skillet, melt the butter.
• Fry the onion over medium heat for 1 minute then add the sugar.
• Cook over low to medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside in a warm place for serving.
• Combine sifted flour, salt, eggs, milk and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Knead a homogeneous dough. Cover and let stand 30 minutes, away from heat.
• Divide the dough into 2 or 3 pieces and roll out each piece of dough to a thickness of ⅛ inch (3 mm).
• Using a cookie cutter, cut circles about 3 inches (7 cm) in diameter.
• Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle of dough, fold them in half to form a semi-circle and pinch the edges with wet hands.
• Heat a large amount of boiling salted water in a casserole dish.
• Immerse the vareniki in simmering water and cook them for 3 minutes.
• Drain.
• Place the boiled vareniki in a bowl or deep dish.
• Sprinkle with fried onions, salt lightly, pepper, and mix gently.
• Finally sprinkle with chopped spring onion.

HALUSHKI RECIPE (TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Prepare ingredients for the recipe.
• Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a little well in the middle. Place whisked eggs, water, and melted butter into it. Using a fork, work the ingredients together to form the dough. Finish up combining the ingredients by hand until you get a smooth, even texture.
• Divide the dough into eight even pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a long string. Dice each string into small pieces.
• At this point, you can either freeze the raw dough for later use or move onto the next step to cook them.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in the raw dumplings and boil them until they float to the top.
• Gather the topping ingredients.
• Dice mushrooms and sauté them in a buttered skillet for about 5 minutes. Dice the onions and add them to the skillet, cooking them until softened. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in bacon pieces, sauté for 5 minutes.
• Place dumplings into a nonstick skillet and add in sautéed mixture and butter. Cook until they turn golden brown.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

VARENIKI (RUSSIAN-STYLE POTATO DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• For the filling: Saute onions with oil in a pan until softened and brown.
• Grate warm potato into a bowl and add the sauteed onion, salt and pepper. Mix together to evenly distribute ingredients into a mash-like mixture.
• For the dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Add flour and salt to the cleaned bowl of a stand mixer and slowly mix. Add water and oil. Mix completely. Remove dough and work into a roll, then a log shape.
• Slice a thin piece of dough and roll into a thin 4-inch round. Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture in the center of the dough circle, then fold circle into a half-moon and seal the edges. Place on the lined baking sheet. Fold over the edge of the dumpling, like a pot sticker. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to hold their shape.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add dumplings; they will rise to the top once they are finished cooking.
• For the garnish: Caramelize onions in some oil in a frying pan until golden brown and crispy, 5 minutes. Plate dumplings and lay caramelized onions on top with salt, pepper and sour cream.

POLISH KOPYTKAMI POTATO DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Start a 4-6 quart pot of water to boil. Using lots of water for the dumplings to swim in is very important. When it starts to boil, salt the water liberally. Keep covered and on a simmer while mixing the potatoes so it's ready to boil when you are ready to make the dumplings.
• Peel then grate potatoes with a grating blade (smallest holes) in a food processor. Remove any chunks. Strain potatoes in a strainer (not a colander) until water from potatoes is removed. Press on the potatoes to remove as much water as possible. The more water left in the potatoes, the more flour you'll need and you'll have less potato taste in the end.
• Put potatoes in a large bowl and add salt. Mix with a rubber spatula or large spoon.
• Lightly mix eggs in a cup with a fork and add to potatoes. Mix.
• Add flour to potatoes, starting with 1 cup. Mix and continue to add flour until the potatoes are the consistency between pancake batter and bread dough. You shouldn't be able to pour it but you shouldn't be able to knead it either. If you wish, taste potato mixture to check salt.
• Cut bacon into 1/2-1 inch chunks. Fry in a high-sided frying pan on medium heat until limp, not crunchy. Set aside off heat or on lowest heat.
• Bring water back to boil. The water shouldn't be a full rolling boil. It will cause the dumplings to fall apart. Keep the water at just a gentle boil.
• Test one dumpling by using a teaspoon and drop in a dollop of potato mixture (about the size of a large cherry). It will plump up. See if the dumpling holds together. It should sink to the bottom of the pot and when cooked fully it will float. If it falls apart (water starts to fill with bits of potato mixture) add more flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Test again until it holds together.
• The water will become cloudy and little bits of potato will appear over the course of boiling the dumplings. This is normal. The dumplings will look shaggy, not round or perfect. You can stir them gently during cooking to keep them from sticking together.
• As the dumplings float, take them out with a slotted spoon or strainer and put directly in the bacon pan. Mix all the dumplings in the bacon pan until coated with bacon grease. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve.
• Save a cup of potato water and add as needed to dumplings when reheating the next day.

POTATO PATTIES KIEV-STYLE (RUSSIAN OR UKRAINIAN)

Steps:

• Wash and peel potatoes. Boil potatoes; mash. Dissolve the flour in a litle cold water. Add that to the potatoes, along with the butter and eggs. Sprinkle with salt. Stir well.
• For filling: Wash and soak mushrooms in cold water for 60 minutes. Cook them in the same water for 30-40 min, then chop finely.
• Let milk come to room temp or scald.
• In butter, melt butter; brown 3 T. flour and a little salt. Constantly stirring, pour over the scalded milk. Mix until it gets thick.
• Add chopped mushrooms; stir well.
• Divide potatoe mixture into portions. In the center of each one, put a spoonfull of the mushroom sauce. Pat into and oval shape. Dip into beaten eggs and roll in breadcrumbs.
• In oil (or an oil/butter mixture perhaps), fry until golden on both sides.
• Serve with remaining mushroom sauce, sprinkled with the dill.