Milk Street Digital Class: Dumplings the Ukrainian Way: Varenyky with Olia Hercules

About this Pre-Recorded Class:

What’s on the Menu:
Homemade Varenyky Dough
Potato and Cheese Varenyky

Description:
We keep thinking that one day, we’ll have taught you to make every dumpling in the world. But then we realize that there’s yet another one that hasn’t yet been featured at the Milk Street Cooking School. Whether you’re playing dumpling bingo with us or just taking your first foray into this home cooking sub-category, you’re in good company. Join guest teacher Olia Hercules, most recently the author of “Strong Roots: A Memoir of Food, Family and Ukraine,” for a pre-recorded cooking class about one of her most comforting and deeply rooted recipes: Ukrainian varenyky. You’ll learn to make a simple egg-enriched dough either by hand or using a mixer. As it rests, you’ll prepare Olia’s favorite filling of mashed potato, crumbly cheese and scallion. We start by shaping simply half-moon varenyky, then move on to more elaborately braided, pleated and bundled variations. Then, you’ll learn why varneyky are best when they’re both boiled and fried, resulting in a creamy interior and golden brown exterior. As we cook, you’ll learn about regional variations of varenyky within Ukraine, their history in the region and why they hold such a special place in Olia’s heart.