Virtiniai, Pierogies and Varenyky

Dumplings are a traditional food in Lithuanian kitchens. The recipe for Virtiniai dough is my mother's original recipe, the way she used to make it when we were small. Below that are recipes for Polish Pierogie dough and Ukrainian Varenyky dough, which are made using the same techniques. 

My mom says that later she tried cooking the meat filling first, reducing the time needed to cook the dumplings in boiling water.

She also tried making virtiniai with a potato-based dough similiar to that of a pierogi, which she says can be easier to roll out, but didn't taste the same.

I like the original recipe best. When the dough cooks it is soft and yet a little chewy, like a large egg noodle, and the meat filling forms a tasty ball inside when it boils.

My dad liked virtiniai with a drizzle of hot bacon grease, diced bacon and a dollop of sour cream. My mom would put a dish of spaghetti sauce on the table for people who didn't like sour cream. The pasta-like dough with meat filling and spaghetti sauce is a ravioli dumpling.

Left-over virtiniai is delicious reheated by frying in butter in a pan but can also be microwaved.

Virtiniai Dough:

• 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Raw Meat Filling:

• 1-1/2 lb. ground beef OR 1 lb. ground beef and 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbsp pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped onion

Topping:

• 1/2 lb. bacon, diced and cooked (reserve bacon grease)
• sour cream

 Dough:

1. Beat 3 eggs thoroughly in a bowl.
2. Add 2 Tbsp water and 1 tsp salt.
3. Stir in 2 cups flour to make a soft workable dough.
4. 
   
5. Divide dough in 3 portions.
6. Sprinkle board (or cloth or parchment paper) generously with flour.
7. Roll thin, about 1/8 inch thick.
8. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter or the edge of a glass to cut the dough into rounds.
9. Gather scraps of dough to re-roll with next portion of dough.
10. Continue rolling and cutting circles until all dough is cut.

Raw Meat Filling:

Mix together raw ground meat, salt, eggs, diced onion.

Assembly:

1. Put about a tablespoon of meat mixture in centre of each dough circle.
2. Fold one edge over the other, press edges together firmly to encase the filling.
3. If edges don't seal, moisten with a bit of water.

Cook:

1. Bring a large stockpot containing 3 quarts of salted water to a boil on high heat.
2. Drop several dumplings into the water. Dumplings should have room to move without sticking together in the pot.
3. Bring water to a boil again. Cook dumplings with raw meat filling about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Cut one open to make sure filling is fully cooked.)
4. Option see below: Cook dumplings with cooked meat filling 10-15 minutes in boiling water.
5. Cooked dumplings will bob up to the surface of the water.
6. Remove with a slotted spoon to a strainer placed over a bowl.  Drain well.
7. Repeat with remaining dumplings.
8. If you don't have a stockpot use a large pot and cook in batches. Keep cooked virtiniai warm in a pan in the oven until all have been cooked in water in the pot.

Toppings:

1. Dice and cook 1/2 lb. of bacon in a frying pan.
2. Pour bacon along with the hot bacon grease into a serving dish.
3. Drizzle over cooked virtiniai.
4. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Make pierogies or varenyky using the same method as that for Virtiniai.

Use the raw filling as in the Virtiniai recipe or the cooked meat filling that follows.

POLISH PIEROGIES (Dough)

• 4 cups flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup water (approximate)
• 5 Tbsp sour cream
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

POLISH HAM "BANDUKI'' (Dough and Filling)

Makes 24 dumplings. The filling is made with ground baked ham, so the dumplings only take 20 minutes to boil. Dumpling are easily kept warm and moist in the oven as they are layered in a casserole dish with a bacon-cream topping.

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp shortening or butter, softened
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• Filling:
• 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. ground cooked ham
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small grated onion (optional)
• Sauce:
• 1/2 lb bacon, diced and fried, plus some reserved bacon drippings
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 cups half-and-half cream

1. To prepare dough, mound the four on a kneading board and make a hole or well in the centre. Add the butter, baking powder, salt and  milk and knead until firm and pliable.
2. Divide the dough and roll out thinly, but not so thin that the dumplings will fall apart during boiling.
3. Cut the dough into 8 to 9 cm (about 3 to 3-1/2 inch) circles with a cookie cutter or the rim of a small bowl.
4. To prepare filling, mix the ground ham, eggs, salt, pepper and onion if using. Spoon about 1 Tbsp filling into the centre of each dough circle.
5. Fold the dough over the filling, moisten edges with a little water, press edges together with a fork to seal.
6. Drop banduki in salted boiling water and cook 20 minutes or until they float to the top.
7. Remove cooked banduki from water with a slotted spoon.
8. Prepare the sauce: mix diced and cooked bacon, melted butter and half-and-half, keep warm.
9. To serve, arrange a layer of banduki in a serving dish and top with a layer of the sauce, repeat with remaining banduki and sauce. Keep warm in the oven until serving.

UKRAINIAN VARENYKY (Dough)

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg or 2 yolks
• 1/2 cup water (approximate)
• 1/2 cup cold mashed potatoes
• 1 Tbsp oil

Cooked Ground Meat Filling for Virtiniai, Pierogies or Varenyky

In a frying pan, cook:

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 medium peeled & diced onion
• 1 lb. minced beef or pork

Cool, then mix in:

• 2 large beaten eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

1. Roll out dough, cut into rounds, add spoonful of cooked filling.
2. Fold dough over the filling to create a semi-circle shape.
3. Pinch edges together firmly.
4. Put into boiling salted water 10-15 minutes. Drain.
5. Serve with bacon bits, sour cream or tomato sauce.
6. Can be reeheated by frying in oil and melted butter.