Where do I even begin? A few weeks ago, I got on a plane to go to Thailand as rumors began to percolate about coronavirus being something we should really start taking more seriously. During my 10 days exploring Bangkok, lying on the beaches of Koh Kood and taking in the ancient ruins at Phanom Rung, I kept an eye on the news as the situation in New York City rapidly escalated, and I arrived back last week to a very different city than the one I had left.
We are currently under a “stay-at-home” order, which is our governor’s less scary spin on “shelter in place,” but it’s exactly the same thing. My roommate and I are working from home and are incredibly grateful to have each other as support right now. Even as an introvert, this would be insanely hard to weather alone. We are only to go outside for exercise and to buy food or medicine. We can’t see any other friends or the people we’re dating. I just celebrated my 34th birthday in quarantine. There is a lot of knitting and a lot of puzzles. There is a 700-page tome on the Romanoffs to read.
So it’s a strange time, unprecedented in recent history. But you find ways to make life feel more normal. We’re sticking to a workout routine and eating three meals a day on schedule. And of course in the kitchen is where I’ve been finding the most comfort. It’s actually been really nice to not have to squeeze all my cooking into the weekend. There’s a lot more joy in being able to cook at a steadier pace throughout the week, and it’s been sort of fun having to get creative about ingredients.
Needless to say, it’s a great time for project cooking! It’s also an excellent time for comfort food. At least in New York, it’s starting to feel like spring, but we’ve had some pretty grim and rainy days, and I think Eastern European dumplings would be a fine antidote. Or at least a salve. They are fun to make with family, they freeze extremely well and they’re one of my favorite foods. I’m including three fillings here because they are all excellent and I like variety. Do what feels right to you! My personal favorite is the sauerkraut. When we are all feeling this helpless, making something with our hands is a great way to gain a sense of control and productivity. And eating dumplings is a great way to put a smile on our faces.
One dough recipe makes 50-55 vareniki, as does each filling recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- Salt
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 7 to 8 tablespoons of water
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
- 3 large boiling potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
- 1/4 lb. farmer's cheese
- 2 oz. Colby or other mild cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups farmer's cheese
- 1 large egg yolk
- Salt, to taste
- 2 slices bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 1/2 cups packaged (not canned) sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed thoroughly dry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/3 cup chicken or beef broth
Instructions
- To make the dough, blend the flour an 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add the egg yolks and the oil through the feed tube, then pour in the water, in a slow, steady stream, until the dough forms a ball around the blade. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover with a linen or cotton (not terry cloth) kitchen towel and let stand for 30 minutes.
- To make the potato filling, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and cheese.
- Add the sauteed onion along with the cooking fat and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
- To make the cheese filling, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- To make the sauerkraut filling, saute the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it renders its fat. Remove the bacon and reserve. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add the onion to the skillet and saute, stirring frequently over medium heat until nicely browned, almost 15 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the sauerkraut and saute, stirring, until softened and cooked throughout, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, sugar and broth. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before using it to fill the vareniki. Use the reserved bacon as a topping.
- Once you have your filling(s) ready to go, divide the dough in half and shape into two balls. Keep one ball covered with the towel. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a very thin sheet, about 1/16 inch thick, making sure it doesn't tear. With a round cookie cutter, cut out circles about 3 inches in diameter. Gather the scraps together into a ball and set aside, covered.
- Have a bowl with the egg white by you. Place a heaping teaspoon of the desired filling in the middle of each circle. Fold the dough over the filling to form a semi-circle. Brush the edges with the egg white and press the edges firmly together with the tines or a fork to seal. Place the vareniki as they are made on a lightly floured large baking sheet about 1 inch apart and keep covered with a damp cloth.
- When you have finished making this batch of vareniki, roll out the second ball of dough and make the second batch. Add the leftover scraps of dough to the scraps left from the first batch, knead into a ball and roll out for a final batch.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil (or divide the water between 2 pots).
- Reduce the heat to medium so the water simmers and carefully lower half the vareniki into the water. Boil, stirring occasionally, with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, until they rise to the surface, and are cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the vareniki to a colander and drain thoroughly. Transfer to a deep serving bowl and toss with half the butter.
- Cook the rest of the vareniki the same way.
Notes
From Please to the Table
