Description
This recipe guides you through making basic Russian Vareniki or Pelmeni dough, perfect for creating traditional Russian pierogies filled with various fillings such as potato and onion, blueberry, cherry, or ground meats. The dough is soft and pliable, and the cooking method involves boiling followed by a butter drizzle or serving with traditional toppings like sautéed bacon and onions (zazharka).
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 cup 2% or whole milk
- 5 cups all-purpose flour (plus about 1 cup more for dusting)
Fillings
- Potato & onion
- Blueberry
- Cherry
- Ground pork and turkey
Toppings & Extras
- Zazharka: sauté bacon and onion in butter and drizzle over finished vareniki/pierogies
- Melted butter for drizzling
- Sour cream for dipping
- Sugar for dusting to prevent sticking
- Vinegar or ketchup as optional dipping sauces
Instructions
- Mix egg and sour cream: Whisk together the egg and sour cream until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Add milk and water: Whisk in 1 1/4 cups of milk along with 3/4 cup water to the egg mixture, blending them thoroughly.
- Add flour gradually: Using a spatula, incorporate flour into the liquid ingredients a cup at a time until partially combined.
- Knead the dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead it by turning and folding with a food scraper. Dust with additional flour as needed until the dough becomes soft and non-sticky, kneading for about 6 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to add too much flour to avoid a tough dough.
- Rest the dough: Cover the dough with a bowl and let it rest at room temperature for about 1 hour to relax the gluten and improve elasticity.
- Divide the dough: Cut the rested dough into 4 to 6 pieces. Work with one portion at a time, keeping the others covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
- Shape dough pieces: Form each chunk into a log and cut into small pieces roughly the size of a gumball. Dust your rolling pin and board with flour, then roll each piece into a 1/8-inch thick circle about 3 inches in diameter.
- Fill and seal: Place your choice of filling (potato, cherries, blueberries, or meat) onto each dough circle. Fold dough over to create a crescent shape and pinch edges firmly to seal. For pelmeni with meat filling, pinch the edges together to form a ‘diaper’ shape. Place finished pierogies on a floured board to prevent sticking.
- Boil the pierogies: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pierogies in batches, cooking until they float to the surface plus an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl.
- Finish and serve: Drizzle the cooked pierogies with melted butter. Optionally, top with sautéed bacon and onions (zazharka), dust with sugar to prevent sticking, and serve with sour cream or vinegar/ketchup for dipping. Repeat steps 7 through 9 with remaining dough.
Notes
- Do not add too much flour during kneading as it can make the dough tough.
- Resting the dough for an hour makes it easier to roll and prevents shrinkage when cooked.
- Use a food scraper to help knead the dough without sticking to your hands.
- Pelmeni are typically meat-filled and shaped differently from vareniki.
- Boil vareniki in salted water and cook until they float plus extra 2-3 minutes to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Zazharka (sautéed bacon and onions) adds a delicious savory topping, but melted butter and sour cream are traditional accompaniments as well.
- Dusting cooked pierogies with sugar helps keep them from sticking if stored or served later.
