One of the most popular dishes in Eastern European cuisine is Filled Dumplings, known as: Varenyky or Pyrohy in Ukrainian, and Pierogi in Polish. They are made from homemade pasta dough and filled with varieties of fillings, but potato and cheese filling being the most popular.
It is definitely “labor of love” for those who make them from scratch, as it requires several hours of preparation time, but it is so well worth it.
The original recipe for this carrot salad was found on this site.
Since many of my Ukrainian friends raved about this unfamiliar salad to me, I was determined to find and prepare a recipe that would suit my taste.
Due to its quite spicy flavor, I decreased the amount of cayenne pepper to mellow the taste a bit to please my taste buds.
This recipe is a very old favorite of mine. It reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking days and my Sunday visits to her with my mom.
I love these fluffy dumplings because they are so light in texture, and so delicious served with melted butter and sugar.
This recipe dates back to my great-grandmother, who was of German descent, and most likely to her mother and grandmother, which would date back to the 1700s.
Americans enjoy sauerkraut on their hot dogs, but there are many different ways to use this pickled veggie in salads, cooking, and even in baking.
If you are craving Varenyky (also known as Pyrohy or Pierogi) but it is too hot to cook or you have no time for such a project, Palushky (Plachyky, Kopytka, or Gnocchi) is an excellent alternative.
It is simple, quick, and delicious. I love to serve mine with butter and sautéed onions, a dollop of sour cream, and a side vegetable dish like broccoli, mixed vegetables, or cooked carrots.