Varenyky z Kvasoleyu (вареники з квасолею, bean dumplings)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •A big pot for boiling varenyky
• •A wide pan for the onions
• •A rolling pin
• •A 7 to 8 cm round cutter or drinking glass
• •A slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beans

   Drain the soaked beans, cover them with fresh cold water, add the bay leaf, and bring them to the gentlest simmer. Cook until they crush easily between finger and thumb and the skins no longer squeak under your teeth. Salt them only near the end, when they're already soft, then drain well and keep a cup of the bean water.

   Canned beans will work for a Tuesday night version. Rinse them, warm them in a little water, and drain them well before mashing.
2. 2

   Sweeten the onions

   Warm the sunflower oil in a wide pan and add the onions with a pinch of salt. Let them soften slowly until the sharp raw smell disappears and the oil turns golden at the edges. You're not browning them hard. You're waiting until the smell changes, from onion bite to onion sweetness.

3. 3

   Mash the filling

   Mash the warm beans with most of the onions and their oil, the salt, and the black pepper. Add a spoonful or two of bean water only if the mixture feels dry. It should hold together on a spoon but still look like beans, not paste. Taste it boldly; dough quiets everything down.

   Save a few spoonfuls of onions for serving. Onion oil on top tells the table what is inside.
4. 4

   Make the dough

   Put the flour and salt in a bowl, pour in the warm water and sunflower oil, and mix until shaggy. Knead until smooth and springy, then cover and rest it until the dough relaxes under your palm. It should feel soft, warm, and alive, not tight like a rubber band.

5. 5

   Roll and cut

   Dust the table lightly and roll the dough thin enough that you can almost see your fingers through it. Cut rounds with a glass or cutter, gathering and rerolling the scraps once. Keep the unused dough covered so it doesn't dry and crack at the edges.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Put a generous teaspoon of bean filling in the middle of each round, fold the dough over, and press the edges together firmly. I make my family's triangular fold because my hands remember, but a half-moon is honest too. What matters is a clean seal with no filling caught in it.

7. 7

   Boil in batches

   Bring a big pot of salted water to a lively boil, then lower in the varenyky without crowding them. Stir once from the bottom so they don't stick. When they float and the dough edges look soft and slightly fluttered, let them bob a little longer, then lift them out with a slotted spoon.

8. 8

   Gloss and serve

   Toss the hot varenyky with the reserved onion oil and a little more sunflower oil so they shine and don't cling together. Scatter with dill. Serve with smetana if you're not keeping the meal Lenten, or just more onion oil if you are. Enough for eight guests or one hungry Ukrainian.

Chef Tips

• •The filling should taste slightly over-seasoned before it goes into the dough. Varenyky dough softens salt and pepper, so be brave at the bowl.
• •Don't puree the beans smooth. A little grain gives the dumpling its character and keeps the filling from eating like wallpaper paste.
• •Freeze uncooked varenyky on a floured tray until solid, then bag them. Boil from frozen and give them a little more time once they float.
• •For a richer non-Lenten table, finish with butter and smetana. For the fasting version, good sunflower oil does the work beautifully.
• •If the dough tears, it is usually too dry or rolled too thin at the edge. Wet your fingertip, pinch it closed, and keep going.

Advance Preparation

• •Soak the dried beans overnight in plenty of cold water.
• •The bean filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept chilled.
• •Shaped uncooked varenyky freeze well for up to 2 months; cook them straight from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)