Vereniki—also spelled vareniki or wareniki—are part of Russian Mennonite food traditions that took root on the Prairies. This version uses dry-curd cottage cheese in small pasta pockets and a mild cream gravy. Families shape and serve them in different ways; this is one home-style Manitoba version, not a universal formula.
Vereniki—also spelled vareniki or wareniki—are part of Russian Mennonite food traditions that took root on the Prairies. This version uses dry-curd cottage cheese in small pasta pockets and a mild cream gravy. Families shape and serve them in different ways; this is one home-style Manitoba version, not a universal formula.
Step 1Whisk the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Stir in the flour and 1.25 mL of the salt until a firm dough forms. Knead briefly until smooth, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2Mix the dry-curd cottage cheese with the egg yolk, 30 mL cream, pepper and remaining 1.25 mL salt. Keep the filling refrigerated while you shape the dumplings. Do not taste raw dough or filling.
Step 3Working with one portion at a time, roll dough about 3 mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut 7–8 cm rounds. Place a scant teaspoon of filling in the centre of each, fold into a half-moon and pinch the edges firmly closed. Set on a lightly floured tray. You should make about 32.
Step 4Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Cook the dumplings in batches, stirring once gently so they do not stick. When they float, continue boiling until the dough is tender, about 5–7 minutes total. Check the centre of a large dumpling with a clean thermometer; it must reach 74°C. Cook longer if needed.
Step 5For the gravy, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the 250 mL cream and 125 mL milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring 3–5 minutes until smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Step 6Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly. Serve eight per person with warm cream gravy. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers at 4°C or colder for 2–3 days, or freeze; reheat to 74°C.
Use pasteurized commercial dry-curd cottage cheese and check its label. Keep filling cold at 4°C or colder while shaping; if you need to pause, refrigerate the tray. For longer storage, freeze uncooked sealed dumplings in a single layer, then bag them; boil from frozen and cook until the centre reaches 74°C. Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C.
Rounded estimate for eight dumplings with gravy, based on four portions and generic composition values for flour, dry-curd cottage cheese, eggs, milk, cream, butter and salt. Cottage-cheese moisture and sodium vary by brand; check the package for a product-specific estimate. Not laboratory analysis or a product label.
Contains wheat, eggs and milk. Use pasteurized dry-curd cottage cheese. Raw flour and eggs are not ready-to-eat: do not taste uncooked dough or filling. Cook dumplings until the centre reaches at least 74°C. Keep filling chilled during shaping and wash hands and utensils after handling raw egg.
Yes. Freeze the sealed dumplings in one layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook from frozen in gently boiling water until tender and the centre reaches 74°C.
