Kefir dumplings with cottage cheese from Ievgen Klopotenko

Most national cuisines have their own traditional dough-based dishes with fillings. Italians make ravioli, in Georgia they worship khinkali, and manti are popular in Central Asia. Ukrainian cuisine is, of course, all about dumplings. According to one version, they came to us from Turkey, but since then the recipe has changed so much that they can definitely be now considered a truly ukrainian dish.

One of the reasons for the love for dumplings is the huge variety of fillings. So they’re great for any occasion. These are rich-tasting meat dumplings with cracklings and onions, and dumplings with cheese and poppy seeds, sweet dumplings with berries and fruits, dumplings with mushrooms, porridge or cabbage. There are countless options. I found the recipe I want to share today on one of my travels across Ukraine. And I’m just delighted with this unusual combination of ingredients: the filling is cottage cheese and buckwheat, and the sauce is made from honey and butter. Incredibly delicious!

Kefir-based dumpling dough

Dumplings are traditionally made from fresh dough which is made from a bare minimum of ingredients. One of the most common dough types is kefir-based dough. It’s easy to make: flour with a small amount of salt and sugar is mixed with kefir. It is the addition of kefir that helps the dough to rise a little, making it looser and softer. For my recipe, I used thermostatic kefir 2% fat TM “Cornflower Field”. One of the important conditions is the elasticity of the dough: when you roll it into a layer, it should shrink a little along the edges. In this case, the consistency is correct, the dumplings will be dense and will not spread during cooking. Also, do not use too much flour for baking, because the dough can become too thick and chewy, then the dumplings will be less tasty.

How to make kefir dumplings with cottage cheese and honey

Unique flavors blend perfectly in this authentic ukrainian dish: kefir dumplings with honey and cottage cheese: Directions

Step 1

Gather all the ingredients you’ll need to make the dumplings with cottage cheese and buckwheat with honey and butter dressing.

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Step 2

First, steam the buckwheat. To do this, add 100 g of buckwheat to a small bowl and pour boiling water with a ratio of 1: 2. Add a pinch of salt, stir thoroughly, cover and leave for 15-20 minutes.

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Step 3

In a large bowl, combine 300 g flour, ½ tbsp sugar and ½ tsp salt. Add 200 ml kefir. Mix to combine with a spoon, then knead the dough until elastic. Leave to rest for about 20 minutes.

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Step 4

To make the filling, combine the steamed buckwheat with the cottage cheese and 2 tbsp sugar.

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Step 5

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll the dough out into a layer about 2 mm thick.

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Step 6

Using a glass or a cookie cutter, cut circles out of the dough. Slightly split the circles by hand, spread the filling on one half, fold the other half over the filling and press down on the edges to seal.

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Step 7

Place the dumplings in boiling salted water. After they start rising to the surface, cook for about 2 more minutes.

Step 8

Melt 50 g of butter in a pan and add 2 tbsp honey, heat for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, until combined. Place the finished dumplings on a plate and drizzle the honey-butter mixture over them.