Vareniki: Russian Potato Dumplings
Light and comforting potato and onion dumplings in a freshly made dough.
Equipment
- 2 inch round cutter - you can use a shot glass
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 3/4 C all purpose flour + more for dusting
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 C very cold water + more as needed
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 Tb olive oil + more as needed
Filling
- 4 Russet potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and chopped in 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 Tb salt
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled, rinsed, and finely cut
- 1 Tb butter and olive oil, each
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cooking
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tb butter
Toppings
- Green onion, thinly sliced
- Sour cream
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Filling
- Cover the potatoes with water in a large pot and bring to boil.
- Once boiling, add salt.
- Let boil, uncovered, for 10-20 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife.
- Once potatoes are soft, remove from heat, drain the water, and mash.
- While potatoes are cooking, preheat the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a medium pan.
- Add the onion, sprinkle with salt, and cook for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Combine cooked onion and mashed potatoes in a bowl and set aside to cool, while you prepare the dough.
Dough
- Mix all dough ingredients in a bowl. Turn out onto floured surface and knead, until it’s soft, elastic, and doesn’t stick to your hands. Depending on the weather and the humidity, it can take up to 20 minutes.
- As you knead it, assess the texture and fix, if needed, using the following two steps.
- If the dough is too dry, rub a couple of drops of olive oil on your hands, and knead again. If it’s still dry, do the same but with cold water.
- Alternate oil and water, as needed, until it’s pliable.
- If your dough is too runny, dust it with flour and knead again.
- Grease a bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside and cover with a lightly damp towel.
- Let your dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before rolling it out and cutting.
Rolling out and cutting
- Place the dough on a cutting board and cut in half, and then in half again. Leave one piece out and put the rest back in the bowl, covered with lightly damp towel.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the piece of dough until it’s about 12 inches long/wide. If it sticks to your hands, dust it very lightly with flour. As you roll it out, flip it from time to time to make sure the bottom side is not sticking to the table.
- Using a 2 inch round cutter, cut out circles (it should make about 25.)
Shaping Vareniki
- Set up your work station: small bowl of water, measuring teaspoon, filling, and a cutting board lightly dusted with flour.
- Dip your finger in water and trace the outer edge of the dough circle. It will help seal it. (The same technique is used with ravioli and gyoza.)
- Place a teaspoon of filling in the center.
- Gently push the filling in with your thumbs to stretch the circle out and fold it over.
- Pinch the edges really well.
- When finished, proceed with the rest of the dough and the filling. You may end up with extra dough or filling. The dough freezes really well. (And the extra filling can be shaped into patties and cooked on both sides.)
Cooking
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add salt.
- Carefully add vareniki to the boiling water and let cook for 2-3 minutes or until floating on top.
- Take one out and cut it to taste.
- When all are cooked, strain, and serve with your preferred toppings.
- Enjoy! :)