| Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, forming a well in the middle. Add the butter and
milk and mix lightly until the flour is absorbed. (Add a little warm water as needed.) Knead
until the dough sticks together, cover and allow to rest for a few minutes, then knead until
smooth. Cover and set aside. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn, and cover for about
½. Place ¼ of the dough on a floured work surface, re-covering the rest of the
dough. Roll into a circle, starting at the center and rolling outwards to maintain an even
thickness, turn over and from the center, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Run
a hand under the bottom to loosen it. With a 3" biscuit cutter or a glass, cut into rounds.
When done cutting, place 1 tbsp of the filling on one side of each, flipping the other half
over the top and sealing with your fingers or a fork. Be sure to seal these well. Place each
of the dumplings on a floured cooky sheet, keeping the dumplings covered with a towel. Repeat
with the remaining dough, saving the scraps until last. Use as little flour as possible in this
process or the scraps will be come tough and heavy. Gently drop 12 to 15 varenyky into 3 quarts
of boiling water, in a large Dutch oven. Do not overcrowd. Stir and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
Drain in a collander and place on a lightly oiled cookies sheet, shaking to coat with a thin
film to prevent sticking. Do not pile the dumplings on top of each other. If the varenyky are
to be frozen, remove with a slotted spoon when they float to the top. DO NOT overcook. To
freeze. Place in the freezer on an oiled cookie sheet when they are at room temp. When they are
frozen hard, store in tightly sealed plastic bags. Varenyky may be poached, pan-fried or
steamed, served as an accompaniment with meats, or served with sour cream, chopped sauteed
onions, plain yogurt, bacon or sausages.
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