Authentic Ukrainian baked varenyky: how to prepare an ancient dish at home

Baked varenyky are a traditional Ukrainian main dish. Our ancestors have been cooking it in the oven for a long time. Most of us have known this dish since childhood because grandmothers always tried to please their grandchildren with their best dishes.

Food expert Svitlana Levytska shared how to make authentic Ukrainian baked varenyky on Instagram. They can be easily cooked at home in a conventional oven for the whole family to enjoy.

Ingredients for the dough

• sour milk or kefir - 500 ml
• baking soda - 1.5 tsp
• salt - 1 tsp
• flour - 700 g

Ingredients for the filling

• cottage cheese - 500 g
• sugar - 50 g
• egg - 1 pc
• salt - a pinch

Ingredients for the topping

• sour cream - 200 g
• egg - 1 pc
• salt
• sugar
• vanilla
• zest

Method of preparation

1. Combine all the ingredients for the dough in a deep bowl and knead.

2. Cover with a towel and leave for 20-30 minutes.

3. Prepare the filling. Grind the cottage cheese through a sieve or use a meat grinder.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.

5. Prepare the topping. Mix all the ingredients until smooth.

6. Form large varenyky and boil them in a frying pan with cheesecloth on the bottom. Pour in half a container of boiling water and cook the varenyky under the lid for 5 minutes. Add boiling water with each portion of varenyky.

7. Put them in a baking dish, mixing each layer with oil. The dish must be twice bigger as varenyky will rise in the oven.

8. Pour the topping over the varenyky and bake them at 180 degrees for 40 minutes.