VUSHKA (UKRAINIAN MUSHROOM DUMPLINGS)
SOURCE: TOM BIRCHARD AND NATALIE DANFORD. THE VESELKA COOKBOOK: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM THE LANDMARK RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK'S EAST VILLAGE.
For two weeks between January 6 and January 19, devout Ukrainians celebrate a separate Christmas season because the liturgical year of the Orthodox faith observes the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian schedule. Christmas Eve supper only begins upon the sight of a first twinkling star on the eastern night sky of January 6. Twelve meatless dishes of Svyat Vechir, each one representing an apostle, await the starving household gathered around the dining table to dig in after an entire day of fasting. An irreplaceable presence among the delicious dozen is the mushroom-stuffed dumpling, Vushka, which translates to “little ear” in Ukrainian due to the curvy twists that literally give rise to its quaint shape. Serve the dumplings as a standalone in clear broth or light sour cream or as a buoyant accompaniment to a hearty helping of vegetarian Borsch; they are absolutely marvelous!
Ingredients
Mushroom Filling
1/4 cup/10 grams dried porcinis or cèpes
1/4 cup/60 mL hot water
3 tablespoons/45 mL sunflower oil
3/4 cup/120 grams finely chopped onions
4 cups/350 grams coarsely chopped fresh button mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vushka Dough
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon/15 mL sunflower oil
1 1/2 cups/360 mL lukewarm water
3 1/4 cups/490 grams all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/2 cup/120 mL smetana, crème fraîche, OR sour cream
Finely chopped parsley, preferably picked from on the same day for garnish
Specific Equipment
Small bowl
Large nonstick skillet OR sauté pan
Spoon
Food processor
Lipped measuring cup with a volume of 1 quart/1 L
Fork
Large mixing bowl
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Pizza cutter
Well-floured jelly roll pan or cutting board
Deep-bottomed pot
Colander
Serves 10 to 12
Instructions
1. Soak the dried porcinis or cèpes in a small bowl of hot water for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft. Remove the porcinis or cèpes from the liquid and reserve the soaking liquid. Set both aside.
2. Heat the sunflower oil in a nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté in the onions for 5 minutes or until the onions have softened and turned translucent. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have shrunk. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the skillet or sauté pan from heat.
3. Transfer the cooked mushroom mixture and rehydrated porcinis or cèpes to a food processor. Spoon in the soaking liquid, leaving the silt and residues at the bottom of the small bowl. Pulse the mushroom mixture three to four times or until the mushrooms are finely minced. The mushroom mixture should not be pasty, runny or soupy but should retain mushroom chunks on. Return the mushroom mixture to the small bowl and set aside.
4. Beat the egg yolk, sunflower oil, and water in a lipped measuring cup with a fork untill well-blended.
5. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the well, about one-third at a time, constantly mixing the dry and wet ingredients altogether either by hand or with a fork. Fold the dough together by hand when all wet ingredients have been incorporated. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add a few tablespoons of water until the dough is pliable. If the dough feels sticky, dust in a few teaspoons of flour until the dough is smooth but not dry.
6. Transfer the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. Shape the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes to rest.
7. Divide the dough to three portions and roll each dough portion to a thickness of 1/16 inch/0.16 cm on a well-floured work surface using a well-floured rolling pin. Cut the rolled dough to 1 1/2-inch × 1 1/2-inch/3.81-cm × 3.81-cm squares. Dot the center of each square with half-teaspoonfuls of the mushroom filling.
8. Fold each square into a triangle, sealing off the edge tightly. Pinch the two opposing edges of each triangle together tightly to form the shape of an ear. Tightly sealed edges allow the dumplings to float during boiling. Set each dumpling on a well-floured jelly roll pan or cutting board.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 until all dough portions and the entire mushroom filling have been used.
10. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Cook the dumplings for 2 to 4 minutes or until they float. Drain the dumplings over a colander.
11. Transfer the dumplings into a large mixing bowl. Toss in the smetana, créme fraîche, or sour cream and sprinkle in the parsley untill the dumplings are evenly coated.
