Ukrainian Pyrih With Cabbage Filling Recipes

UKRAINIAN PYRIZHKY WITH MEAT FILLING (STUFFED BUNS)

Steps:

• PYRIZHKY DOUGH: Dissolve the sugar and ginger in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let it stand for 10 minutes.
• To the hot scalded milk, add the butter, and cool to lukewarm.
• Add the eggs, salt, sugar, and yeast.
• Mix in enough flour to make a medium soft dough as for bread.
• Knead on a floured board until smooth and satiny.
• Return to the bowl, cover, and let it rise until double in bulk.
• Punch down, knead a few times in the bowl, and let it rise again.
• Use any favorite filling in the recipes that follow.
• TO MAKE THE PYRIZHKY, cut off small egg-sized pieces of dough, flatten each or roll 1/4 inch thick.
• Place a generous portion of the filling in the center, bring the edges together, and press to seal securely.
• (I wet the edges with a bit of beaten egg white and seal with well floured fingertips).
• All edges must be free of filling.
• Shape into an oblong with a plump center and tapering ends (like a football).
• This is the traditional shape of pyrizhky.
• As an alternative method, the dough may be rolled 1/4 inch thick, cut into squares, filled, and sealed as directed.
• Place, sealed side down, on a greased baking sheet, spacing them 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Cover and let them rise in a warm place until light, for about 1 hour.
• Brush them with a beaten egg diluted with 2 tablespoons of water or milk.
• Bake in a moderate oven (375 degree F) for 30 to 35 minutes depending on their size.
• MEAT FILLING: Cook the onion in half of the butter until it is tender.
• Add the remaining butter and the meat.
• Brown the meat lightly.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook over a low heat until done.
• Remove the meat.
• Stir the flour into the drippings.
• Add the soup stock or water, then cook, until the sauce comes to a boil.
• Combine with the meat and cool.
• Mix in the parsley and chopped eggs.
• *I like to use left-over cooked roast put through a meat grinder or food processor,is more flavourful.

UKRAINIAN SWEET CABBAGE VARENYKY (PIEROGI DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE FILLING: Cut the cabbages into quarters. Steam until very tender, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and cool. In a strong but thin linen towel, squeeze as much of the liquid from the steamed cabbage as possible. Squeeze only a small handful at a time. Discard the juice.
• Grind the squeezed cabbage with the fine blade of a meat grinder. Add the cream cheese and softened butter and season highly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• TO MAKE THE DOUGH: Whisk the egg, milk, water, and sour cream together. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. This may take 10 minutes. Add as little additional flour as possible.
• Put ball of dough under an inverted bowl until ready to use.
• To make the varenyky, cut the dough into 4 pieces. On a floured board roll out piece of dough into a round 1/16 inch thick. Keep rest of dough covered. With a cookie cutter or glass tumbler (2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter), cut the dough into rounds. For each varenyk take 1 round of dough, stretch it a bit with your fingers, and spoon about 2 Tablespoons of the cabbage onto the center.
• Fold the circle in half and press the edges together. Crimp the edges with your fingertips into a decorative pattern if you wish. Be sure to seal the edges well or the filling may fall out during cooking. Put finished dumplings on a towel or tray that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Continue rolling dough until all the filling has been used up.
• Bring a very large kettle of water to the boil. Add 1 Tablespoon salt to the water and cook about 20 varenyky at one time in simmering water until they are tender and float (about 5 to 6 minutes.) Remove to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and dribble with butter and a bit of oil, to prevent sticking. Gently fold the varenyky in the oil. Leftover varenyky can be fried in butter and oil with fried onions.
• Makes approximately 8 dozen dumplings.

UKRAINIAN CABBAGE ROLLS WITH MUSHROOMS AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the rice according to the directions on the package.
• Remove the core from the cabbage and place the full head in a large pot of boiling water.
• Cover and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Remove the cabbage from the water and let cool until it's easy to handle.
• Then remove the softened whole leaves from the head and stack them on a platter for filling.
• Thin out the tough vein near the stem portion of the leaf to make easier rolling.
• Prepare the mushroom filling by placing the dried and bottled mushrooms in a medium saucepan.
• Cover with water and bring the mushrooms to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce the heat to simmer and continue to cook the mushrooms for about 1 hour.
• Strain off the liquid and grind the mushrooms in a food processor or blender.
• Meanwhile, melt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the two medium chopped onions until transparent, about 5 minutes.
• Mix the two medium sautéed onions with the mushrooms and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
• Sauté the one large chopped onion in two tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat until transparent.
• Add the mushroom filling and cooked rice to the large fried onion.
• Line the bottom of a casserole dish with cabbage leaves not suitable for stuffing.
• Save about 6 good, whole leaves and fill the stem portion of each leaf with 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of the rice mixture.
• Place the stuffed leaves seam-side down in the casserole dish.
• PREPARE THE MUSHROOM SAUCE by melting two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Sauté the 1/4 cup chopped onions until tender.
• Add the one cup of freshly chopped mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and blend well.
• Slowly pour in the broth and stir constantly until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from the heat source and stir in the parsley, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Let the sauce cool a bit, then add the sour cream and blend well.
• Cover the stuffed cabbages with the mushroom sauce and bake the casserole, uncovered, in a 350-F degree oven for one to one-and-a-half hours.
• Serve warm.
• Makes a great companion for plain roast beef.