Recipe: Varenyky - Dessert Dumplings

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2000-12-05
From: Nancy,.SFO

Varenyky - Dessert Dumpling Filled with Fruit or Cheese

-- Dough --
2 c all-purpose Flour
1 Egg
1/2 c Milk
1 t Salt
2 Egg Whites – beaten
-- Cheese Filling --
1 lb Cottage Cheese, Large Curd -- OR
Pot Cheese
2 tbsp Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1 tbsp Butter -- melted & cooled
1/2 tsp Salt
2 c Sour Cream
4 tbsp Butter -- melted, hot

-- Cherry Filling -- -- pitted & drained
1 1/2 lb Sour Cherries
1/3 c Sugar
-- Blueberry Filling --
1 pt Blueberries
4 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Lemon Juice -- fresh, strained

DOUGH: Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl and make a deep well
in the center. Drop in the egg, milk and salt. With your fingertips
or a large spoon, slowly mix the flour into the liquid ingredients,
then mix vigorously until the dough is stiff enough to be gathered
into a compact ball. If the dough crumbles add an additional 1 to 2
tsp of milk to make the particles adhere. Dust the ball with flour,
wrap in wax paper, and chill 30 mins. Reserve the egg whites until
the filling is prepared.

CHEESE FILLING: Puree the cheese in a food mill, or rub it with the
back of a large spoon through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Then beat
in the sugar, egg yolk, melted butter and salt, and stir in 1 cup of
sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time. Continue to stir until the ingredients
are thoroughly mixed. Taste for seasoning; if you prefer the filling
sweeter, add additional sugar.

CHERRY OR BLUEBERRY FILLING: Spread half the fruit in the bottom of a
1-qt enameled or stainless-steel saucepan. Sprinkle with half the
sugar, then make similar layers of the remaining fruit and sugar.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to
low. Simmer over moderate heat for 3 to 5 mins. If you are using
blueberries, stir in the lemon juice and let them cool to room
temperature. With a slotted spoon, transfer the blueberries or sour
cherries to a small bowl. Bring the juices remaining in the pan to a
rapid boil and boil steadily, uncovered, for 2 to 3 mins, or until
they thicken into a light syrup. Pour the syrup into a small serving
bowl and set aside.

ASSEMBLING THE DUMPLINGS: On a lightly floured surface, roll the
dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out as many circles as
possible with a 3 1/2 to 4-inch cookie cutter. Then gather the
remaining scraps into a ball, roll out again, and cut out additional
circles. With a pastry brush, coat each circle with a light film of
the beaten egg white. Drop 1 Tbsp of cheese or 1 tsp of fruit on the
lower half of each circle. Bring the exposed half of the circle up
over the filling and press the edges all around the dough firmly with
the back of a fork. Make certain that the edges are thoroughly sealed
to prevent the filling from seeping through. Set aside, loosely
covered with a towel, until ready to cook.

Bring 4 qts. of salted water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart pot and
drop 6 dumplings. Lower the heat and simmer the dumplings uncovered
for 8 to 10 mins, or until they float to the surface of the water.
Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a heated platter. Cover
loosely with foil to keep them hot while you cook the remaining
dumplings similarly.

To serve, arrange the dumplings on a heated platter and moisten them
with the hot melted butter. If you have used the fruit filling, serve
the dumplings with cherry or blueberry juice. The cheese-filled
dumplings are customarily served with the remaining cup of sour cream.

From: Dave Drum Date: 03-05-95 Cooking