Did you ever have a moment when you set your mind on preparing something specific for dinner, then realized that you were short on the quantity of the main ingredient?
The other day, I was set to make varenyky (Ukrainian word for Pierogi), and realized that I was one cup short of all-purpose flour and low on sour cream, so I added whole wheat flour, and used oil to fill in the gap.
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.
Ukrainian Christmas Eve is not only very rich in traditional foods prepared freshly that day (today in our busy lifestyle most of us prepare many food items ahead of time), and shared by the family during the Christmas Eve 12-course meatless dinner, but also myriad traditions are practiced before and after the meal.
If you like stuffed peppers but are looking for a healthier grain, rather than white rice, Brown Rice, Quinoa, or Bulgur, are great substitutions.
Today, I will share a recipe for stuffed peppers with bulgur and ground turkey that I recently tested and loved.
I would like to share links to some of my previous posts about Ukrainian Christmas traditions, as well as few recipes for Ukrainian Traditional Christmas Eve dishes.