Uszka: Polish Christmas Dumplings / Mini Pierogi for Red Borscht (Vegan)

Ingredients

• 1 oz (30 g) dried porcinis or bay boletes (Polish ‘borowik’ and ‘podgrzybek’ respectively)
• 1 cup water
• 1 medium (6 oz, 175 g) onion
• 0.5 lb (230 - 250 g) chestnut mushrooms, fresh
• 1 tbsp oil, e.g. canola
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
• 3-4 tbsp white dry wine, can substitute for water
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 2.5 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive or canola oil
• 4/5 cup (200 ml) hot water

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour a glass of water over the dried...: Pour a glass of water over the dried porcinis and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes. (This can be done in advance e.g, a day before.).

2. 2

   Once that’s done, it’s worth keeping the remaining...: Once that’s done, it’s worth keeping the remaining ‘mushroom water’; it’s useful in flavouring other dishes such as stews and soups. Keep it refrigerated or freeze it.

3. 3

   Peel the onion, slice it finely. Do the...: Peel the onion, slice it finely. Do the same with chestnut mushrooms and cooked porcinis.

4. 4

   Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a...: Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Sauté finely chopped onion for a few minutes over a medium heat, until it turns translucent.

5. 5

   Add minced garlic clove and continue frying for...: Add minced garlic clove and continue frying for another 30 seconds, stirring along the way. Add all the mushrooms we chopped, together with a teaspoon of dried thyme and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.

6. 6

   Reduce the heat to ‘low’ and cook the...: Reduce the heat to ‘low’ and cook the mushrooms gently, stirring occasionally. Mushrooms will release their juices first, and then they’ll evaporate.

7. 7

   As the pan gets dry, add in 3...: As the pan gets dry, add in 3 to 4 tablespoons of white wine, increase the heat to ‘medium-high’ and continue cooking until the wine evaporates completely. Make sure to stir from time to time, so that nothing sticks too badly to the pan.

8. 8

   Have a taste - does it need more...: Have a taste - does it need more seasoning? If so, add a bit more salt and pepper. Add finely chopped parsley leaves.

9. 9

   To make ‘Uszka’ assembly a bit easier, it’s...: To make ‘Uszka’ assembly a bit easier, it’s worth grinding down the filling even more. You can use an immersion (hand-held) blender, or just chop everything again with a knife.

10. 10

    I enjoy a little bit of texture in...: I enjoy a little bit of texture in the filling, so I divide the mass into two. I leave one part as-is (straight off the pan) and grind the other part with a blender into a smooth paste. Then I combine the two.

11. 11

    Store the mushroom filling in the fridge, until...: Store the mushroom filling in the fridge, until you’re ready to assemble the dumplings.

12. 12

    Sift the flour and salt into a large...: Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Pour in a tablespoon of oil.

13. 13

    Gradually pour hot water into the flour, mixing...: Gradually pour hot water into the flour, mixing with a spoon as you go.

14. 14

    Dust your work surface with flour. Move the...: Dust your work surface with flour. Move the dough ball onto it.

15. 15

    Knead the dough until soft and smooth.

16. 16

    Form a ball, cover it with a kitchen...: Form a ball, cover it with a kitchen cloth and set aside to rest.

17. 17

    Sprinkle the worktop with flour. Divide the dough...: Sprinkle the worktop with flour. Divide the dough into four parts. Roll each part (keeping the rest covered) into a thin layer of dough - like super-thin! 0.04-0.08 in (1-2 mm).

18. 18

    Using a rim of a small glass (or...: Using a rim of a small glass (or a round cookie cutter), cut out circles from the dough.

19. 19

    In the center of the cut circle, put...: In the center of the cut circle, put about half a teaspoon of the filling and glue it together, forming a crescent (just like for pierogi).

20. 20

    Then connect both ends to form a ring...: Then connect both ends to form a ring - it's best to wrap the dumpling around your little finger and stick the ends together. If it’s not sticking, wet the ends with a tiny bit of water.

21. 21

    Place the ready-made ‘Uszka’ on a pastry board...: Place the ready-made ‘Uszka’ on a pastry board or your work surface, sprinkled with flour. Cover them with a cloth until you’re ready to cook them all.

22. 22

    Prepare a pot of boiling water and salt...: Prepare a pot of boiling water and salt it generously. Throw in a few 'Uszka' dumplings at a time, but not too many - so that they don't lower the water temperature significantly.

23. 23

    After throwing them into the water, stir the...: After throwing them into the water, stir the dumplings very gently. We don’t want them to stick to the bottom.

24. 24

    Once the dumplings start to float, continue cooking...: Once the dumplings start to float, continue cooking for another minute.

25. 25

    Using a slotted spoon, retrieve cooked ‘Uszka’ and...: Using a slotted spoon, retrieve cooked ‘Uszka’ and place them on a plate - but make sure they don’t touch each other (they tend to stick).

26. 26

    Once they cool ever-so-slightly, serve them in your...: Once they cool ever-so-slightly, serve them in your borscht. Otherwise, wait for them to cool completely and move into a container with a lid, then refrigerate.