These Ukrainian dumplings are a bit of work, even with the special mold to turn them out dozens at a time — but they are very much worth the effort! While it’s theoretically possible to make these without the mold, it is far more time-consuming… go ahead and invest in a mold.
Blend together until well mixed:
675 ml (3 c) flour
1 egg
400 ml (1.75 c) warm water
2.5 ml (1/2 t) salt
15 ml (1 T) canola oil
Knead in until smooth and pliable:
Up to 575 ml (2.5 c) additional flour
Set dough aside and prepare filling (options below). When filling is ready, divide into pieces and roll out into 2-3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness, large enough to cover the mold. Dust the mold with flour and lay the dough over it. Depress each space in the fold gently to make room for filling, but be careful not to tear the dough. Roll out another piece of dough to the same size, and set it aside.
Add filling into each space, in conservative quantities to avoid overflow; typically, around 15ml (1 t) per dumpling. When all spaces are filled, lay the second sheet of dough over the mold, ensuring that it covers all of the filling, and then use a rolling pin to seal and cut all of the dumplings.
Turn the mold over on top of a cookie sheet and gently press each of the dumplings out. Arrange them so that they are not touching, and repeat assembling the remaining dumplings until all dough and/or filling is consumed.
Freeze on the cookie sheet, and then bag up into single servings or family portions. When ready to cook, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil and drop in perhaps as many as a dozen dumplings at a time. Stir very gently to avoid the dumplings sticking together, and let them continue boiling until they are floating and cooked through, perhaps 4-6 minutes.
Serve immediately, dressed in butter and a bit of white vinegar, or a dollop of sour cream. For savory varenyky, you could chop up bacon and onions, fry them together until crispy, and then toss the boiled dumplings in the pan before serving together with sour cream and some adjika.
Fillings
Cherry: Put a large jar or a couple of cans of preserved cherries into a pot with their packing juices, and cook over very low heat until thickened and reduced. Use one cherry for each varenyky.
Apple: Peel and core 2-3 apples, and dice. Put in a pot over medium-low heat with 10 ml (2 t) cinnamon and 60 ml (1/4 c) water. Cook until softened, and then mix in 225 ml (1 c) crushed pecans or walnuts.
Strawberry: Remove stems and cut into quarters 450 ml (2 c) strawberries. Put into a pot over medium-low heat with 15 ml (1 T) sugar and 60 ml (1/4 c) water. Cook until softened.
Domashny syr: Mix together 450 ml (2 c) ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, and 45 ml (3 T) sugar.
Cabbage, carrot, and onion: Dice 1/2 head cabbage, 2 carrots, and one large onion. Sautée in 30 ml (2 T) butter and 45 ml (3 T) white vinegar until soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Mushroom and potato: Prepare 450 ml (2 c) mashed potatoes. Dice 250 g (8 oz) mushrooms and sautée in 30 ml (2 T) butter. Blend into potatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper. Dress with Béchamel sauce, sautéed onions, and fresh sage, rosemary, or parsley.
Mushroom and cheese: Dice 500 g (1 lb) mushrooms and sautée n 60 ml (4 T) butter until soft. Blend into 225 ml (1 c) ricotta cheese; season to taste with salt.
Pumpkin and sage: Sautée 500 g (1 lb) canned pumpkin, mixing in 5 ml (1 t) brown sugar, 20 ml (4 t) olive oil, a pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend in 120 ml (1/2 c) crushed almond or vanilla cookies and continue cooking until smooth. Dress with 5 ml (1 t) fresh sage, chopped, sautéed with 14 ml (1 T) butter and 30 ml (2 T) balsamic vinegar. Toss varenyky in pan and serve with grated parmesan cheese.