A bit of history

Vareniki is a favorite dish of Slavic cuisine, which the older generation certainly associates with traditional cuisine, vacations at grandma’s and the best homemade food. From Siberia to Ukraine, dumplings are very popular to this day. Let’s find out what attracts gourmets in this dish and what is its secret of enduring success.

Currently, researchers attribute dumplings to the national cuisines of Russia and Ukraine. They are boiled dumplings made from unleavened dough, which are filled with cottage cheese, vegetables, and all kinds of fruits. Close «relatives» of this dish are also the famous dumplings, manti and ears, as well as sorcerers. In their appearance and cooking technology, dumplings are also similar to the Italian dish of unleavened dough ravioli and boiled veal.

It seems to many that cooking dumplings on their own is long and risky, but if you follow the rules, then the dish will definitely turn out to be cooked quickly and easily.

Stuffing for dumplings

Interestingly, even the dough can consist of mashed potatoes or instead of water, it uses potato broth. Most often, in such dishes you need a very simple filling. Then the taste of dumplings will be with a delicate shade of mashed potatoes. It looks very original. And such a treat can even be put on the festive table.

Stewed cabbage and boiled potatoes are among the most popular products for stuffing dumplings; cherries, blueberries and strawberries are widely used among sweet fillings. You can cook dumplings by steaming or in boiling water, meat dumplings after cooking can be fried until golden brown in a pan. Dumplings are served hot, with sour cream or milk.

In order not to confuse dumplings with different fillings in the freezer (and not to cook “cherry” and “mushroom” dumplings in the same pan), they choose different shapes and modeling methods for them.

Classic filling for cottage cheese dumplings

This old recipe for stuffing for dumplings is familiar to our grandmothers.

Composition of ingredients:

• cottage cheese (fine-grained) — half a kilogram;
• butter (50 g);
• granulated sugar — 100 g;
• two yolks (chicken);
• raisins — 30 g (to taste);
• milk or cream — two tbsp. spoons;
• whipped proteins — 2;
• vanilla.

Cooking method:

Soft cottage cheese must be rubbed through a sieve and put in a bowl.

Separate the yolks from the proteins and grind with sugar.

Mix everything, add vanilla and raisins.

At the end of the preparation of the filling, add whipped egg whites.

A simple and quick recipe for lazy dumplings with potatoes

Vareniki with potatoes are prepared from inexpensive products and are suitable as a lunch.

Ingredients:

• potatoes — 6 pcs.;
• flour — 600 g;
• mineral water — 250 ml;
• salt — a pinch;
• onion — 1 pc.;
• lard — 1-2 pieces.

You need to start by preparing the filling, which should cool slightly by the time the dough is cooked. To do this, you need to peel the potatoes, pour water, boil as mashed potatoes. After the potatoes are crushed with a pusher, seasoned with oil.

While our potatoes are cooling, the dough is being prepared, rolled out, divided into small circles and filled with stuffing. Dumplings are boiled in salted boiling water (until they float), laid out in a deep container. You can add cracklings, fried onions, sour cream and herbs to them to taste.

Preparing dough for dumplings

For the preparation of dumplings, wheat flour is used, on which lean, yeast dough is kneaded, sometimes with the addition of kefir. The dough for dumplings is rolled out in a very thin layer, after which small portions of the dish are cut into round, square or oblique shapes. Skilled craftswomen have their own secrets of rolling stuffed dumplings.

Quick dough recipe

In this recipe, the dough is made for about 20 minutes, and does not require additional actions in the form of heating or prolonged infusion, while it turns out to be elastic and does not tear when cooked.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour (2 cups)
• Chicken egg (1 pc.)
• Milk (1/3 cup)
• Cold water (1/3 cup)
• Salt (1 teaspoon)
• Vegetable oil (1.5 tablespoons)

You need to mix milk, egg, water and salt. Then add flour, mix thoroughly, gradually adding vegetable oil.

The kneading time is at least 15 minutes. After that, it can be covered with a towel and put in a cool place, for about 10 minutes. We look to see if the potatoes are cooked, if potato dumplings are supposed, and top it in mashed potatoes.

Also, for greater taste and aroma, you can add garlic, herbs, or chopped fried mushrooms to the puree. Once the filling is ready, you can start rolling out the dough. During rolling, it can be sprinkled with flour, this will facilitate gluing the edges on the dumplings.