Dumplings – Lithuanian “Soul Food”

COTTAGE CHEESE DUMPLINGS
Varškėčiai

½ lb. dry cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
½ onion, chopped
1 tsp. butter
1½ cups sifted flour
1 egg
Salt
1 Tbsp. water (about)
Sauté onion in butter; combine with cottage cheese and egg yolk. Make dough of flour, egg, salt and water; roll thin on floured board. About 3 inches from edge of dough, place spoonfuls of cheese mixture. Fold over dough; cut each mound with inverted tumbler which has been dipped in flour. Press edges together tightly. Boil a few at a time in salted water about 7 minutes. Remove from water. Serve with melted butter and sour cream. Chopped mint and a dash of cinnamon can be substituted for sautéed onion.

SAUERKRAUT DUMPLINGS
Raugintų kopūstų koldūnai
6 egg yolks
4 cups flour
1 cup milk
¼ cup butter
½ Tbsp. salt
Sauerkraut filling
1 cup sauerkraut
5 strips bacon
½ small onion, diced
1 tsp. caraway seed
Combine eggs, flour and salt. Scald milk; melt butter into milk. Add scald- ed mixture to first mixture. Roll on floured board to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch circles. Place a spoonful of sauerkraut filling in center of each dough circle; fold in half and seal with edge of fork. Drop into pot of boiling water. When they float to the top, re- move. Fry in butter just before serving.
Sauerkraut filling:
Rinse sauerkraut; simmer in covered pot with caraway seed and 2 cups water for ½ hour. Chop bacon into small pieces; fry with onions. Drain sauerkraut; add to bacon. Fry mixture for 5 minutes; cool.

BEEF FILLED DUMPLINGS
Mėsiniai koldūnai

3 cups flour (about)
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
½ cup milk
½ cup water
Beef filling
1½ lbs. lean ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1 small onion, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine filling ingredients well. For dough: Beat egg; add milk, water and salt. Add flour gradually, using enough to make a soft dough. Roll thin and cut in 3 to 4-inch circles. Fill with rounded teaspoons of beef filling. Fold over circles of filled dough; press edges together to seal. Drop into boiling water; simmer about 20 minutes.

BAKED POTATO DUMPLINGS
Keptų bulvių virtiniai

5 medium potatoes
1½ cups flour
2 tsps. salt
1 small onion
¼ lb. butter or margarine
½ pint sweet cream
Boil potatoes with jackets on until done. Cool and peel. Mash; add flour and salt. Roll into strips on floured board; cut diagonally into small diamond shapes. Bake in 400 ° oven for 30 minutes. While they are baking, prepare sauce. Sauce: Dice and fry onion in butter or margarine. When onion is tender, add cream. Pour over baked dumplings and serve.

GRATED POTATO MEAT DUMPLINGS
Bulvių ir mėsos kukuliai

7 to 8 medium potatoes
1 tsp. salt
½ lb. ground meat
4 boiled potatoes
2 eggs
1 small onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and grate raw potatoes; strain through cloth. Add mashed boiled potatoes, salt, pepper and beaten eggs; combine thoroughly. Pat this mixture into oblongs about the size and shape of small frankfurter roll. On each oblong, place a spoonful of meat to which chopped on ion, salt and pepper have been added. Fold potato mixture around meat. Drop into boiling salted water; boil 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with melted butter or sour cream. Fresh or leftover meat can be used. Cottage cheese can be substituted for meat.

FRUIT DUMPLINGS
Vaisių koldųnai
¾ cup milk
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsps. butter
1½ cups flour
2 eggs
Plums or other fruit
More flour for rolling out dumplings Bring milk, salt and butter to boil; add flour and mix well until dough is stiff and does not stick to mixing spoon and pot. Let cool; add eggs and mix well. Roll out dough; cut into squares. Fill squares with fruit, roll and place in boiling water; boil about 5 minutes or longer, depending on size. Sprinkle with sugar, cottage cheese and butter or sour cream.