Autumn brings new potatoes, and potato varenyky are one of the most homely dishes on a Ukrainian table. They are served with crackling, fried onion and sour cream.

The recipe was shared by Ukrainian food writer Alona Bogdanova, author of a book on Ukrainian home cooking. She says these are the varenyky her grandmother used to make.

The dough is made with boiling water and butter, so it rolls out thinly. And the author cooks the potatoes for the filling in an unusual way, so there is no excess water in it.

What you need

Serves 3–4. For the dough:

  • water, 120 ml;
  • plain flour, 200 g;
  • butter, 20 g;
  • salt, 2 pinches.

For the filling:

  • potatoes, 3–4 large;
  • onion, 1 large;
  • butter, 2 tbsp;
  • vegetable oil, for frying;
  • salt and black pepper;
  • coarse salt, for baking the potatoes.

For the topping:

  • onion, 1 large;
  • pork fat or brisket, 100 g;
  • sour cream, to serve.

How to cook

1. Make the dough. Mix the flour and salt. Bring the water and butter to the boil and pour into the flour in a thin stream, stirring with a spoon. Knead by hand for 3–5 minutes, wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

2. Bake the potatoes. Heat the oven to 190 °C. Wash and dry the potatoes but do not peel or cut them. Cover the bottom of a dish with coarse salt, put the potatoes on it and bake for 40–50 minutes until tender. You can also boil them in their skins, but never peeled.

3. Cook the onion. Finely dice an onion. Heat 2 tbsp oil with the butter and cook the onion over a low heat until soft, without letting it colour much.

4. Make the filling. Peel and mash the potatoes, leaving some lumps rather than a smooth purée. Add the onion with its oil, salt and plenty of black pepper, stir and let cool slightly under a lid.

5. Shape the varenyky. Roll the dough thinly and cut 8–10 cm circles. Put a tablespoon of filling on each, brush the edges with water and pinch closed.

6. Boil. Bring plenty of salted water to the boil, add the varenyky, cover so it returns to the boil quickly and cook for 2–3 minutes — the thin dough cooks fast.

7. Fry the crackling. Dice the pork fat and render it in a dry hot pan. When it starts to colour, add the thinly diced onion and fry until golden; season with salt.

Lift out the varenyky with a slotted spoon, spoon the crackling and onion over, add plenty of pepper and serve with sour cream.

As a reminder, we have already made potato pancakes that hold together in the pan.

Nota bene

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