Galushki

Ukrainian style fried dumplings with bacon and mushrooms. While I have it from good sources that this recipe is mostly authentic, it should be noted that Ukraine does not sell bacon, that is an American addition. If you really want to keep things authentic, substitute pork roast cut into 1/2 inch cubes and fried with the onions. Also, my Ukrainian friends tell me that the key to this dish is lots of onion, so don’t skimp.

This is a fun dish to make because making dumplings is interesting and fun. The way to think about it is that what pasta is Italy, dumplings are to Ukraine. Most my Ukrainian friends go to the forest to harvest fresh mushrooms for this dish, but I recommend using white mushrooms . . . unless you are better than me at picking mushrooms. My last mushroom run ended, shall we say, magically.

Ingredients

  • 730 g flour ~5 cups
  • 230 g water ~1 cup
  • 150 g butter – softened
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 lb fresh mushrooms – sliced
  • 1 large onion – diced
  • 1 cup bacon bits – grease retained
  • 2 TBL cooking oil
  • 2 TBL butter for frying
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Process

  1. Mise en Place – measure and prepare ingredients before you start.
  2. Make dumplings:
    1. In a mixing bowl (stand mixer), place the flour, water, eggs, and butter. Mix at speed 1 for 3 mins and then knead at speed 4 for four mins.
    2. Put a pot of water onto to boil. Once the water starts to boil add a generous amount of salt and maintain a rolling boil.
    3. Divide the dough into ~8 pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a long rope about 1/2″ in diameter.
    4. Cut the rope into small sections ~3/4″ long.
    5. Cook the dumplings: drop the dumplings into the boiling pot. At first they will sink to the bottom but once cooked, they will float to the top.
    6. Place cooked dumplings into a strainer basket to dry.
  3. Prepare fresh foods:
    1. Heat a large skillet. Add cooking oil (or bacon grease) and let warm.
    2. Add sliced mushrooms – do not add salt, it will dry the mushrooms.
    3. Sauté mushrooms until soft ~5mins.
    4. Add diced onion and cook until translucent.
    5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    6. Stir in bacon bits and 2 TBL butter and cook 5 more mins.
  4. Add dumplings to frying pan and sauté until golden brown. This may take some time and the dumplings may stick to the pan but don’t worry about it.
  5. Serve immediately – you may want to have sour cream on hand to dip the dumplings into.

Note: For lighter fluffier dumplings do not add butter, just flour, water and eggs.

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