Uszka Do Barszczu Mushroom Dumplings For Borscht Recipes

UKRAINIAN MUSHROOM AND ONION DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Make filling: place dried mushrooms in a small bowl and add 1/4 cup boiling water. Let soften, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid and mushrooms separately.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until golden but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add button mushrooms and cook, stirring, until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drain liquor. In a food processor, combine both kinds of mushrooms. Spoon in porcini liquid, leaving behind any silt in bottom of bowl. Pulse together until finely ground but not pasty: about 3 or 4 pulses. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
• Make dough: In a small bowl, combine egg yolk, oil and 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water and whisk 1 minute. Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in center. Add a third of the egg mixture and lightly mix in with fingers or a fork. Repeat 2 more times. Using hands, fold dough together until soft: if crumbly, gently work in more water; if sticky, add flour. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead 3 minutes. Form into a ball, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate 45 minutes.
• Lightly flour a work surface and a pan or board for the finished dumplings. Divide dough into 3 sections. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll each section out until very thin and in a rough rectangle. Use tip of a sharp knife to cut dough into 1 1/2-inch squares.
• Drain any excess liquid from filling. Place 1/2 teaspoon filling in center of each square. Fold squares in half to form triangles, sealing filling inside. (If dough is becoming dry, lightly moisten fingertips to seal.) Pinch the 2 opposing corners together to seal tightly. Place on floured surface: do not stack. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook dumplings until they float, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and serve in hot borscht, or just with sour cream.

POLISH MUSHROOM DUMPLINGS - USZKA

Steps:

• Filling: Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chopped mushrooms and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, or until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated and the mixture starts to sizzle.
• Put the onion and mushroom mix in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, parsley and the beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Mix everything together to form a firm paste. Allow the paste to cool slightly before filling the dumplings. The filling can be made 24 hrs ahead of time.
• Dough: Whisk together the egg, milk and salt.
• Stir in half of the flour until it is incorporated, then add the other half and continue to stir.
• After it comes together into a thick, sticky dough, place the dough on a floured surface and knead until it is smooth, supple and soft, but not sticky. Add additional flour, as necessary, to achieve this.
• Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap or place in bowl and cover with plastic. Let rest 15 minutes.
• Dumplings: Take half the dough and roll it out as thin as possible, about 1/8 in thick, Cut the dough into 1 1/2 or 2 inch squares. Place a small amount of filling into the middle of the square.
• Brush a bit of the beaten egg along the edges and fold the dough over to form a triangle, Seal well. Place on the work surface with the top pointing away from you and fold the two side point together, pressing to seal.
• Heat salted water in a large pot to a boil. Add the dumplings, let them rise and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer. (Give them a stir if they are sticking to the bottom),.
• Drain. Place a few pockets in each soup bowl and fill with hot borscht or broth.

BARSZCZ Z USZKAMI (BEET SOUP WITH MUSHROOM POCKETS)

Steps:

• For the soup: put the beetroot, carrots, parsley roots, celery and apples in a large pan and pour over 1.5 litres water, or enough to cover. Add the garlic cloves, pimento leaves and bay leaf and bring to the boil.
• Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat. Season with the vinegar, marjoram, salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Cool and leave overnight.
• The next day, strain the soup through muslin to get a clear broth. Reheat before serving.
• For the uszka filling: melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and fry the onion until softened. Strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Chop them finely and add to the frying pan along with the soaking liquid. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated. Season.
• For the uszka dough: stir the hot water into the flour then mix in the egg. Season with salt and pepper. Knead the dough until smooth, then roll out very thin.
• Cut the dough into 5cm squares. Place a small amount of the filling onto the squares of dough and fold over on the diagonal to form triangles. Seal the edges together. Wrap the triangles around your finger, sticking the 2 bottom tips together to form a ring.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the mushroom parcels. When they float to the top, cook for 1 more minute, stirring continuously. Drain.
• Put uszka in a soup plate and then pour hot over the hot soup. Smacznego!