Varenyky

Varenyky are one of the most beloved and characteristic dishes of Ukrainian cuisine, items of thinly rolled unleavened dough with a varied filling inside, boiled in salted water. Together with borsch they are a true gastronomic symbol of Ukraine.

The dough for varenyky is kneaded simply — of flour, water (or whey), egg, and salt — rolled thin and cut into rounds, into which the filling is placed and pinched into a crescent. The astonishing variety of varenyky lies precisely in the fillings. Classic savoury versions: with potato (often with fried onion or mushrooms), with braised cabbage, with curd cheese, with meat, with beans. Sweet ones: with cherries, strawberries, blueberries, sweetened curd, poppy seed, apples. Varenyky are served hot, generously drizzled with melted butter or onion fried in lard, with sour cream. The making of varenyky often became a family affair, and the dish itself is sung in folklore and classical literature (recall Gogol's Patsiuk). Varenyky are the cosiness, generosity, and warmth of a Ukrainian home on a plate.