Varenyki | Ukrainian Dumplings with Tart Cherries

Name: Varenyki | Ukrainian Dumplings with Tart Cherries
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: European, Eastern European
Ingredients: 150 g wheat flour (all-purpose); 12 g butter; 80 g milk, hot; 1 pinch salt, fine; 450 g tart cherries (pitted, frozen); 3 tbsp sugar; 1/2 tsp cherry extract, optional; 1 tbsp corn starch; 120 ml tart cherry juice (strained and reserved earlier); 1/2 lb strawberries (fresh, sliced, or a combination of other seasonal berries); 1 tsp corn starch

11 steps

Prep:15minCook:5min

Varenyki is Ukrainian dumplings that can be savory or sweet. Dark tart cherries are one of the traditional fillings. Blueberries are another well-known filling for dessert dumplings in Ukraine, mainly in Western regions, where varenyki are known as pierogi. The recipes vary from region to region. We enriched the dough with soured milk or whey and eggs in my family. Sweet varenyki or pierogi can be served with a fruity sauce, melted butter, honey, or sour cream and sugar. My Mom used to add fresh berries to the sauce — red and black currants, raspberries, strawberries — whatever was available.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 01:02:03 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Moderate

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories102.4 kcal (5%)

Total Fat1.4 g (2%)

Carbs21.2 g (8%)

Sugars8.5 g (9%)

Protein2.1 g (4%)

Sodium17.4 mg (1%)

Fiber1 g (4%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

12 servings

Instructions

for filling (make in advance)

Step 1

Combine frozen tart cherries and sugar in a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Step 2

The cherries will slowly thaw, and the sugar will draw the moisture from them simultaneously. Strain and reserve the juice.

Step 3

Gently squeeze extra moisture out of drained tart cherries. Sprinkle them with starch. Added starch will catch all the juices inside the cooking dumplings.

for dough

Step 4

Measure the flour in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and place butter in the center. Bring milk to a boil and slowly pour it over the butter to melt it. Use a fork to mix the ingredients (they are hot), turning them into crumbs. Let cool and knead an elastic dough. Shape it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 15 min at room temperature.

for sauce

Step 5

Mix some corn starch with reserved, cold tart cherry juice and slowly bring to simmer, stirring. Cook for 2 minutes to let the sauce thicken. Turn off the heat and add fresh berries to the cooked sauce.

for shaping and cooking varenyki

Step 6

Fill a big pot with water and place it over high heat. You need about 2 gallons of boiling salty water to cook ten dumplings of this size.

Step 7

Lightly dust the working surface with flour. Unwrap the dough, roll it into a cylinder (1" D), and cut it into 12 equal portions. Flatten each piece to make round wrappers (1.5 " D). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Step 8

Work with one dumpling wrapper at a time, keeping the rest covered with plastic wrap. Roll each wrapper 2.5" D, fill it with 1 tbsp of tart cherries, shape, and place under the plastic wrap. Repeat with all wrappers.

Step 9

Place all dumplings in boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes until they float. Strain them and place them into a bowl with melted butter.

Step 10

Add 1-2 tbsp butter and gently shake the bowl to move dumplings. Their heat will melt the butter, and butter will coat them, preventing sticking and drying.

Step 11

Serve varenyki with hot or warm sauce.

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