Wareneki (Cottage Cheese Pockets)

Photo credit

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Wareneki

Also known as:

Varenikje (Cottage Cheese Dumplings)

Shootenkruflin

Pierogi (Russian)

 

Here is some history on this little treat from 
Mennonite Foods and Folkways from South Russia by Norma Jost Voth.

(Link is in my sidebar.)

Often the words Varenikje, Perogi and Phrohy are used interchangeably among Mennonites.  However, there is a difference as both Mary Dirks Janzen and Gerhard Lohrenz point out.

Varenikje comes from the word varitj (Russian), which means to boil, and Perogi means to bake.

Varenikje are boiled and fried in butter or bacon drippings.
I have yet to uncover Shootenkruflin.  If anyone knows the history of this word I would love to know.

In Herman Rempel's Low German Dictionary and in many Russian Mennonite cookbooks, varenyky or Varenikje has been Low Germanized to Wrenikje or Wreninkje and Wareneki.

 Dough:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 egg white

1 cup sour cream

Combine all dry ingredients, stir in egg white and sour cream, knead until smooth, refrigerate for 1 hour, roll out onto slightly floured surface, cut into circles.

Cottage Cheese Filling:

2 cups dry cottage cheese

1 egg  yolk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix well.

Bierock Filling (Runza) with mushrooms and Swiss cheese

2 pounds ground beef

1 large onion finely chopped

1 can sour kraut

finely chopped mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon pepper

shredded Swiss cheese

Here is a pic of my version runza style with mushrooms and swiss cheese...

Frying in bacon drippings.

I prefer to use this over butter for the meat filled Wareneki.

However, butter rules for the cheese pockets...

Assembly:

Take your filling of choice and place on one side of your circle.

If you are using my Bierock version top the filling with Swiss Cheese.

Fold dough over the filling and pinch the edges closed.

Boil in salted water until the Wareneki float to the top.

Remove and drain.

Fry the boiled pockets in butter or bacon drippings until golden brown.

You can eat them right out of the fry pan or top them with gravy.  Either way you are in for some YUMMY goodness;)

Wareneki Gravy Topping

1/4 cup butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Crispy fried bacon

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt butter and stir in the whipping cream, bacon and pepper.

Bring to a low boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Works best for boiling if the Wareneki is chilled.

These freeze wonderfully in a non cooked state.

My go to cookbook on my Family Heritage recipes.

I own all of these if you are in the area and wish to borrow one that would be great.

However, if you are not the links are posted in my sidebar...

Mennonite Girls can cook is a great website for ethnic GMR foods.

 I HIGHLY recommend these cookbooks.  They are the best of the best out there.