Breakfast
Lazy vareniki (cottage cheese dumplings)
Lazy vareniki get their name because there is no filling and no pinching of edges. You simply mix cottage cheese with an egg and a little flour, roll it into ropes and cut it into pillows. Two minutes in boiling water turns them into soft, slightly sweet dumplings that children love. The secret is dry, crumbly tvorog: the drier it is, the less flour you need and the more tender the dumplings stay. 400 g of cottage cheese makes three generous portions, a lovely weekend breakfast and a good way to use up tvorog before it goes off.
Method
Tap a step to mark it done.
If the cottage cheese is lumpy, push it through a sieve or mash it with a fork until fairly smooth.
Add the egg, sugar and a pinch of salt and stir to a smooth mixture.
Add about three quarters of the flour and bring it together into a soft dough. If it's very sticky, add the rest a spoonful at a time.
Bring 2 litres of water to the boil in a large pan and add about 1 teaspoon of salt.
Dust the work surface with flour, divide the dough into 3 and roll each piece into a rope 2-2.5 cm thick.
Flatten each rope slightly with your fingers and cut on the diagonal into pieces 1.5-2 cm wide.
Drop the dumplings into the boiling water in 2 batches and stir gently so they don't stick to the bottom.
Once they float, cook for 1-2 minutes more, then lift out with a slotted spoon into a bowl of melted butter and toss.
Tips for success
- Don't cook them all at once: the water stops boiling and the dumplings clump together.
- Boil a single test dumpling first. If it falls apart, add another spoonful of flour.
- For small children, cut the dough with mini cutters or roll it into little balls.
- Don't overcook. 1-2 minutes after floating is enough, or they turn dense and gummy.
Serving and storage
Serve straight away while hot, with sour cream, melted butter, honey or jam. In summer, add fresh berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Keep cooked dumplings in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a pan with butter. Raw cut dumplings can be frozen on a tray and kept for up to 2 months; cook from frozen for an extra minute.
Variations
- With semolina: replace half the flour with semolina and rest the dough for 15 minutes for an even softer result.
- Savoury: leave out the sugar, add chopped dill and serve with garlicky sour cream.
- With raisins: fold 40 g of soaked raisins into the dough.
Calories and macros
Per serving (about 238 g):
Per 100 g: 202 kcal, P 12.3, F 9.9, C 15.5. An estimate based on average ingredient values. Your daily calories ›
