# Fake-Out Perogies - Rec Idea



## *amy* (Sep 21, 2007)

I love perogies, but don't always have the time to make them from scratch. I have bought the frozen Mrs. T's that are pretty good, but a little too doughy. A quick idea...

Prepare mashed potatoes (or use left over mashed taters). In a skillet, saute finely chopped mushrooms and onions in oil. Combine onion/mushroom mixture with mashed taters - add in shredded sharp cheddar and/or cooked diced bacon (if desired). Place about a tbl of filling in a won ton wrapper/skin, and seal. Fry them up in oil - and voila - quick perogies. Serve with sour cream and more sauteed onions and shrooms as a main dish or a side (pork chops, apples & sauerkraut, etc.)


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## David Cottrell (Sep 21, 2007)

*Won Ton wrappers work?*



*amy* said:


> I love perogies, but don't always have the time to make them from scratch. I have bought the frozen Mrs. T's that are pretty good, but a little too doughy. A quick idea...
> 
> Prepare mashed potatoes (or use left over mashed taters). In a skillet, saute finely chopped mushrooms and onions in butter/evoo. Combine onion/mushroom mixture with mashed taters - add in shredded sharp cheddar and/or cooked diced bacon (if desired). Place about a tbl of filling in a won ton wrapper/skin, and seal. Fry them up in oil - and voila - quick perogies. Serve with sour cream and more sauteed onions and shrooms as a main dish or a side (pork chops, apples & sauerkraut, etc.)


 
Glad to have your advice. I watched a video done by the Frugel Chef where he tried commercial won ton wrappers side by side with regular perogi pastry. Seems like most of the won ton "perogies" opened at the seams. Any hints about this? 
I've never had a peogie that I didn't like but don't always want to go through the pastry part. 

Love them sauteed to a nice crispy texture - in butter and sauteed onion. How about you?


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## Andy M. (Sep 21, 2007)

I've used wonton wrappers several times for ravioli.  They stay closed if you use a touch of water to moisten the dough at the edge to act as glue.  You also have to be sure there are no air bubbles trapped in the finished item as they will expand in the heat of cooking and cause a blow out.


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## *amy* (Sep 21, 2007)

David Cottrell said:


> Glad to have your advice. I watched a video done by the Frugel Chef where he tried commercial won ton wrappers side by side with regular perogi pastry. Seems like most of the won ton "perogies" opened at the seams. Any hints about this?
> I've never had a peogie that I didn't like but don't always want to go through the pastry part.
> 
> Love them sauteed to a nice crispy texture - in butter and sauteed onion. How about you?


 
Same here, David.

You can seal them up with a pinkie dipped in water, I don't use an egg wash for the won ton skins.  Keep a moist dish towel over the wrappers while you work so they don't dry out.  Make sure your oil is hot enough.  I posted a recipe for ravioli made w won ton wrappers, and as I mentioned in several of my recipes, gently press the air out. I have a plastic won ton gizmo - you lay the won ton wrapeer on it, fill, and press.  Wipe away the excess dough, and you can use the pinkie water method to seal them up.


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## Caine (Sep 21, 2007)

Wouldn't it be easier, and more authentic, to use prepared pie crust instead of wonton wrappers?


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## David Cottrell (Sep 21, 2007)

*Interesting idea - but*




Caine said:


> Wouldn't it be easier, and more authentic, to use prepared pie crust instead of wonton wrappers?


 
Progies are filled, shaped, and boiled. Now, a yeast dough baked thing is a peroschi, if I have the transliteration correct. Maybe you just invented something? Don't know - Give it a try and let us know!


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## Andy M. (Sep 21, 2007)

Caine said:


> Wouldn't it be easier, and more authentic, to use prepared pie crust instead of wonton wrappers?


 

Recipes I've seen are closer to pasta dough than pie crusts.


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## Loprraine (Sep 21, 2007)

I used to make "Lazy Man Perogies".  The potatoes, fried onions, and cheese were layered between lasagna noodles.  Very easy, and very, very tasty!!!  I'll see if I can find it.


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## expatgirl (Sep 21, 2007)

you'd love being here in K.-----freezer cases are full of both prepared (which are delish!!) and frozen wraps that you can make up yourself. It's a national dish and it's spelled "Pirogi" over here.  This thread is making me hungry, btw--


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## Alix (Sep 22, 2007)

I'm hungry now too. I haven't made pirogi/perohe in ages. I may have to press gang my girls into helping and then we will have a freezer full!


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## *amy* (Sep 22, 2007)

expatgirl said:


> you'd love being here in K.-----freezer cases are full of both prepared (which are delish!!) and frozen wraps that you can make up yourself. It's a national dish and it's spelled "Pirogi" over here. This thread is making me hungry, btw--


 
No matter how you spell it, it's all good. I've seen pirohi, peroshky, perogy, etc.  We have the frozen stuff here, but it's too doughy for me.  Let me know if you give it a try.


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## David Cottrell (Sep 22, 2007)

*Wish I could speak Ukrainian*



*amy* said:


> No matter how you spell it, it's all good. I've seen pirohi, peroshky, perogy, etc. We have the frozen stuff here, but it's too doughy for me. Let me know if you give it a try.


 
Amy, as best I can tell, pirohi is written with an h because that is the way Ukrainians want the sound to be. Pronounce the i as e and the h as h. To make it Russian - as g is being used in perogy change the h to g. G is seldom used in Ukrainian. Do you know the writer we know as Gogol? Russian sound. Gogol was originally from what is now Ukraine but moved to St. Petersberg. Ukrainians write and pronounce his name as Hohol. Peroshky I think is trying to refer to the yeast dough baked version of pirohi. Oh well - I use anything that comes to mind. Even progy in the South here. They all taste the same except peroshi is different.  Wish I knew the language.


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## *amy* (Sep 22, 2007)

Caine said:


> Wouldn't it be easier, and more authentic, to use prepared pie crust instead of wonton wrappers?


 
This is a quick method using won ton skins - already pre-cut.  I suppose you could use pie dough, but that IMHO, would be too heavy. Frying pie dough - never tried it.  Let us know how your version turns out.


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## David Cottrell (Sep 22, 2007)

Went to my authority, my Ukrainian cookbook. Pyrohy would be correct transliteration for Western Ukraine. Pyrizhky is the baked version, yeast dough not necessary. Now, Varenyky is more Eastern Ukraine for what we know as Pyrohy. 

There is an curious observation here in Ohio - north of Mansfield it's generally Pryohy for people of Ukrainian tradition. South of Mansfield it's generally Varenyky. I guess North Ohio came mostly from Western Ukraine. More South I guess the good people came mostly from Eastern Ukraine. How's that? To me they are Progies. That I can remember!And I like them.


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## expatgirl (Sep 23, 2007)

Isn't it interesting to see all the different spellings for basically  the same dish?  Here in Kazakhstan many of the restaurants have the menus in Russian and some include  English alongside---what comes out is  usually "pirogi".  We do have a few Ukranian restaurants and I will see how they translate it.  Ukrainian soups as well as pyrohies  are the best food around.


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## *amy* (Sep 23, 2007)

expatgirl said:


> Isn't it interesting to see all the different spellings for basically the same dish? Here in Kazakhstan many of the restaurants have the menus in Russian and some include English alongside---what comes out is usually "pirogi". We do have a few Ukranian restaurants and I will see how they translate it. Ukrainian soups as well as pyrohies are the best food around.


 

I agree.  Enjoyed reading about the various spellings for the same dish. I have a dumpling cookbook I should get down off my shelf & reread. Thought I'd throw this one in, as there are some good filling ideas, i.e. sauteed cabbage etc. 

Pierogi Recipe

The second link isn't working ... but if you click on fillings w/i the page, it will take you there.

I'm getting hungry.


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## auntdot (Sep 23, 2007)

Many years ago I had a room mate who was of Polish descent.

Every so often we would declare a piergo orgy - it sounds racier than it was.

We would round up the usual suspects and make peiorgies - lots of them.

With many different fillings.

Roomie was in charge.  Grandma was from Poland and she had THE RECIPE.

Those orgies were always a lot of fun.  Between the beer (obligatory when making pierogis) and the banter they were great times.

Everyone involved wound up with food to last at least a week.  

And if you want frugal, pierogies are just that.

If I did not have so much gosh darn food in the fridge that has gotta be eaten would be making some now.


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## expatgirl (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks for the link, Pierogi Recipe, Amy, I was drooling by the end.  The sauerkraut and potato fillings sounded great and I thought how wonderful they would be with both combined together.  Maybe 2/3 sauerkraut to 1/3 potatos with some spiciness thrown in.  

And Aunt Dot, where was your wonderful Polish roomie when I was in college???  I was lucky if my roomie could put bread in the toaster.  She was a lot of fun to be with but cooking was not on her resume.   I did all the cooking (and the definition  of my cooking skills back then is quite loose here).  Your pierorgies sounded great.


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## David Cottrell (Sep 23, 2007)

*The Polish influence on Progis*



expatgirl said:


> Isn't it interesting to see all the different spellings for basically the same dish? Here in Kazakhstan many of the restaurants have the menus in Russian and some include English alongside---what comes out is usually "pirogi". We do have a few Ukranian restaurants and I will see how they translate it. Ukrainian soups as well as pyrohies are the best food around.


 
I have not verified but I read that Polish is the linguistic influence that defined the word to be Perogy however spelled. So the word came to the US with the Polish folks and the Ukrainian folks. Western Ukraine as you know "belonged" to Poland for a long time. The prominent city in western Ukraine, Lviv, was founded by a Polish king and named for his son. The root is vov, lion and with a vowel change became viv in Ukrainian. Isn't all this amazing. Actually I think it to be very interesting because I enjoy learning about the culture and the history of an area while I learn to cook the food, or maybe minic would be better said.


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## David Cottrell (Sep 23, 2007)

*Thousands of Perohys*

Did I share this link? I learned to make pierogies by watching a the Ukrainian-American pyrohy team make hundreds and hundreds and hundreds at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Parma, Ohio. Lovely people - they let me try but I didn't want to mess up too many for them. They raise a lot of money for the church and charity with their devotion to the art. I mostly counted a dozen into little plastic bags for several hours each visit. 

Try this for some photos from a Ukrainian-American John Washinsky - you will see his hands at work at least. Go to All Things Ukrainian - Pysanky ,Stained Glass & Embroideries & Ukrainian Gifts and click on the Ukrainian Cooking button on the right of the opening page. Recipes are to be found also. He shows the real deal just like those wonderful little old ladies sitting at the long tables, conversing in Ukrainian while their hands worked. Beautiful sight.


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## expatgirl (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks, DavidC.-----I agree with you on wanting to learn how to cook the local cuisine of wherever you happen to land.  If you have time, share also the title of your Ukrainian cookbook--maybe I can order a copy----there are several soup recipes that I have not been able to find online and maybe your book has them as well as pirogi recipes.  Thanks for the site----it's amazing to see the similarities between Kazakhstan and the Ukraine.  We had a musician come and play the dombra (stringed instrument) at our international last school last year.  Our Kazakh and Russian students bring pirogies by the hundreds for lunch in the wintertime.


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## David Cottrell (Sep 23, 2007)

*Ukrainian Cookbooks*



expatgirl said:


> Thanks, DavidC.-----I agree with you on wanting to learn how to cook the local cuisine of wherever you happen to land. If you have time, share also the title of your Ukrainian cookbook--maybe I can order a copy----there are several soup recipes that I have not been able to find online and maybe your book has them as well as pirogi recipes. Thanks for the site----it's amazing to see the similarities between Kazakhstan and the Ukraine. We had a musician come and play the dombra (stringed instrument) at our international last school last year. Our Kazakh and Russian students bring pirogies by the hundreds for lunch in the wintertime.


 
Here ya are! *The Best of Ukrainian Cuisine *expanded edition, paperback by Bohdan Zahny and *Festive Ukrainian Cooking *hardcover by Marta Pisetska Farley. I found both on Amazon. 

Actually, I don't travel except in my kitchen where I fly off to anywhere in the world! Cheers

I should have said that The Best of Ukrainian Cusine has 29 soup recipes, counting borsch variations. Festive Ukrainian Cooking gives those little background paragraphs that I really appreciate.


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## CharlieD (Sep 23, 2007)

expatgirl said:


> Ukrainian soups as well as pyrohies are the best food around.


 
Have to agree with you 100% here. Just made some last friday. And yes, wonton skins work really well, especialy the comercial ones, because they are thicker than the store bought ones.


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## CharlieD (Sep 23, 2007)

Indeed word "pirogy" comes from Polish. In main land Ukraine (if you can call it that) they are called Vareniki, but we had the whole discussion about that already ones.


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## *amy* (Sep 23, 2007)

CharlieD said:


> Indeed word "pirogy" comes from Polish. In main land Ukraine (if you can call it that) they are called Vareniki, but we had the whole discussion about that already ones.


 
Yep, we did.   As I recall? Eastern European food.  My Hungarian grandma made something similar, but w a different name - Kreplach.

Kreplach - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks for the thumbs up on won ton skins, charlie.  They do make the process easier & pretty authentic tasting, IMO.


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## expatgirl (Sep 23, 2007)

I wonder---do you think it would be possible to roll out won ton skins just a bit more since the main complaint for some is they are a bit too thick?  Since we can't get w.t. skins here I'm not able to test that idea out.  I guess I would sprinkle a little flour on the work surface and a bit on the rolling pin and see what happens.

BTW David, thanks for the titles.  Since I'll be back in TX in November I'll definitely look them up.

Hi, Charlie---what did you make---Borchst?  Whenever my DH plants both feet here for more than a week I'm going to make a big pot of yours.  Also do you have a recipe for "Solyankha" soup?  (excuse the spelling)


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## CharlieD (Sep 24, 2007)

Won Ton sckins that are sold in the stores here are papper thin. Not sure who's complaining.


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## CharlieD (Sep 24, 2007)

Huh, do I have solyanka recipe? I make the best solyanka in the world! Period. Do you understand Russian, I'd send you recipe now. Otherwise I’d have to translate into English.
In the mean time you could check this site out:  http://www.russia-in-us.com/Cuisine/Dadiani/soups.htm#Miasnaia%20Solianka%20(Meat%20Soup%20With%20Tomatoes,%20Onions%20and%20Cucumbers))  
Russian Cuisine. 

it desperatly needs bunch of cold cuts, but sounds ok otherwise.


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## David Cottrell (Sep 24, 2007)

*What good looking soups!*



CharlieD said:


> Huh, do I have solyanka recipe? I make the best solyanka in the world! Period. Do you understand Russian, I'd send you recipe now. Otherwise I’d have to translate into English.
> In the mean time you could check this site out: http://www.russia-in-us.com/Cuisine/Dadiani/soups.htm#Miasnaia%20Solianka%20(Meat%20Soup%20With%20Tomatoes,%20Onions%20and%20Cucumbers))
> Russian Cuisine.
> 
> it desperatly needs bunch of cold cuts, but sounds ok otherwise.


 
Oh boy, I have learned when CharlieD speaks about East European food I listen, period dot.


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## CharlieD (Sep 30, 2007)

Neah, this is not merely a soup, it is The Soup! In fact it is the whole diner in one ball or is it bowl, darn, or is it bawl ...


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## CharlieD (Sep 30, 2007)

I'm going to post solyanka recipe in Soup section

Oh well, I'll added here too:

Here is a recipe for the meal in a bowl. A simplified version of more complex Russian recipe for Solianka.

Ingredients:

Crosscut shank with bone in - 3.5 - 4 lb

Large carrots, grated – 2

Parsnip, small to average, grated - 1

Large onion finely chopped – 1

Pickle, for G-ds sake, people, use the dill not the vinegar pickle, I don’t know how people eat them anyway, large – 2

Olives, I mixed green and black chopped ones together – 1 cup
(My family doesn’t like olives, if you do - do not chop them at all)

Tomato sauce – 2 cans

Hot jalapeno (or other hot) pepper, chopped – 1

Sweet red bell pepper, chopped – 1

Garlic, freshly chopped – 2 cloves

Parsley, dill – about a pinch or more

Lemon, sliced, for serving - 1

Rise – 2 cups

Cold cuts, cut into small cubes or chopped anyway you like about – 2 
Cups

Salt, pepper.

In the large pot cook beef or “the other white meat” (if you like) in about 6 quarts of water, cook uncut. Basically, you need good meat base bullion. I use beef and I like to cook it for a long time to make sure the beef is very tender. I like to cook with some salt and freshly ground pepper. After water boils, I clean the foam of the top and at that time add onion, carrots and parsnip. And let it simmer till ready. Take the meat out and let it cool. At that time add pickles, olives, tomato sauce or paste, you’ll just need less of it. Hot and sweet pepper and garlic. Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes add rice. Now, about the cold cuts. I keep the whole bunch of them already cut in the freezer. It could be anything, salami and bologna, ham and smoked turkey, leftover of some cooked chicken you had the other day, hotdogs and bratwurst, if you like kidneys and tongue it is even better. Just through all of them into the pot let it cook till they are hot (they really do not have to be cooked, as they are already cooked). When meat gets cold enough to handle it, cut it into small cubes and add back to soup, together with cold cuts. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Soup has to be spicy and with a hint of pickle. I prefer to use hot red pepper to make it spicy rather than black pepper. 
For serving, you’ll need sour cream or mayo-lemon mixture. I like to mix a little bit of mayo with some lemon juice, add about a half of a teaspoon for a bowl of soup. Slice the lemon and hang a half of a slice on the side of the bowl. For those who will want the soup more tart they will squeeze the juice right into the bowl. Sprinkle some dill and parsley (for the smell) and serve.


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## expatgirl (Sep 30, 2007)

Sposiba, Charlie!!!  I've been looking for some good soup recipes--especially the solyanka--we're now wearing jackets and coats here so hot soups sound wonderful.  Thanks for the website as I have not seen this one.


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## David Cottrell (Sep 30, 2007)

*CharlieD you can call it what ever you like*



CharlieD said:


> Neah, this is not merely a soup, it is The Soup! In fact it is the whole diner in one ball or is it bowl, darn, or is it bawl ...


 
CharlieD, you know that spelling in English makes no sense. How does bowl sound like boel? I have no idea. How about miska? Would that fly in Russian as well as Ukrainian, if I had the correct alphabet? So about that soup to end all soups, looks like I will have to try it.  (spy with dark glasses)


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## CharlieD (Oct 1, 2007)

expatgirl said:


> Sposiba, Charlie!!! I've been looking for some good soup recipes--especially the solyanka--we're now wearing jackets and coats here so hot soups sound wonderful. Thanks for the website as I have not seen this one.


 

i have to mention that carrots or parsnip,parsly root is not in the original recipe, but I just like my soups on a heavier/thicker side. So you do not have to use it. Also that recipe I posted in the borscht thread for that additive I make can be used here too instead of hot peppers.


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## CharlieD (Oct 1, 2007)

David Cottrell said:


> ... How about miska? Would that fly in Russian as well as Ukrainian, ...


 
Yes it would.


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## expatgirl (Oct 1, 2007)

Charlie---do you add a dollop of cmetana (or sour cream) to your solyanka soup right before you eat it?  They do here as well as to the borscht and it's delicious.  BTW thanks for your personal  solyanka recipe---believe it or not one of my favorite  solyanka soups  that is served at a local restaurant sells for $11 a bowl.  That's why I want to know how to cook it myself.  For the life of me I can't think what might be in it to cost that much.


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## expatgirl (Oct 1, 2007)

Well, my goodness--look at me hogging all the post quick replies------sorry---I  really think that my computer hates me.  We really have issues---as far as I know I only tapped once but who knows----SORRY about that---maybe the site moderator(s) will zap them off and I won't look like the computer illiterate that I am.


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## *amy* (Oct 1, 2007)

Charlie love your soup recipe.  Thank you for sharing with us.  Mods, do you think the post thread can be split, so no one misses charlie's contribution?  TIA


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## expatgirl (Oct 1, 2007)

Many heartfelt thanks to whoever possesses the zapperoo button on this thread-----


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## CharlieD (Oct 2, 2007)

Oh, yes, the Sour Cream part, absolutely must in Russian and Ukrainian cooking. I deo not use it because it is not kosher. Can't mix dairy and Meat products. I compencate with a littlele bit of mayo and lemon juice mix. Not the same, but whatcha gona do?


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## CharlieD (Oct 2, 2007)

Amy, I posted the recipe in "soup forum too", just in case.


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## expatgirl (Oct 2, 2007)

36 degrees (F) here and rainy & nasty outside---time for Charlie's soup de jour!!!!!!!!


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## lindochka (Oct 2, 2007)

In my family, vareniki are boiled and perogy are fried. Pirozhki are made with a different dough and are traditionally fried (but I prefer them baked). Then there are pelmeny...

We're neither Russian nor Ukrainian, but Belarusian. (Really Belarusian, not Polish.) And if anyone would like to share any Eastern European recipes (I'm not fussy about the specific geographical area), I would really appreciate it. I grew up eating what I think of as the basics of good, "down home" Eastern European cuisine and know how to make much if it but I'm always interested in learning more.


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## David Cottrell (Oct 2, 2007)

*Eastern Europe Recipes*



lindochka said:


> In my family, vareniki are boiled and perogy are fried. Pirozhki are made with a different dough and are traditionally fried (but I prefer them baked). Then there are pelmeny...
> 
> We're neither Russian nor Ukrainian, but Belarusian. (Really Belarusian, not Polish.) And if anyone would like to share any Eastern European recipes (I'm not fussy about the specific geographical area), I would really appreciate it. I grew up eating what I think of as the basics of good, "down home" Eastern European cuisine and know how to make much if it but I'm always interested in learning more.


 
Hello Lindochka, You know much more about all this than I so please let me turn the question. As a family with Belarusian traditions do you have a family recipe for borsch, borscht, etc. no matter how you spell it? I have been looking for a borsch recipe that I can relate to Belarus (or is it Belarusia?) for my website Books by Volunteers who serve Ukraine Orphans. I have about 18 borsch recipes in a little collection there - including two from CharlieD. I would be ever so appreciative if you could help me out. Please do go to the website and click the World's Best Borsch tab and then take a look at some of the recipes. 

Hope you can contribute - I have borsch from all around but none from Belarusia and none from Moldavia. 

Thanks, David, P.S. good to meet you!


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## lindochka (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi David! The thing with borsch is that there are roughly as many variants as there are people who make it. My personal favorite is a sweet-and-sour meat-and-cabbage variety my father's mother made (her parents came from Lithuania) but it's not what my family members in Belarus make. But good borsch is good, no matter what!

Over the last few years since I located and first visited my European relatives, I've been finding that there have been changes in the cuisine that probably occurred after (and perhaps as a result of) the Russian Civil War/Revolution and the establishment of the USSR. Among other things, people living in what had been the Russian Empire moved away from their native regions (not always involuntarily) and subsequently incorporated into their personal repertoires foods which were previously unknown.

My cousins aren't the only Eastern Europeans who use ketchup both as a condiment and as a component in sauces and gravies, but I don't remember my Belarusian-born grandmother even having it in the house. (She arrived in the US in 1913.) OTOH, I make some classical dishes that my cousins are unfamiliar with but which were appreciated by an elderly friend who'd emigrated in 1920 and fondly remembered such food from her youth.

Well, I certainly have digressed from the subject of borsch, haven't I? 

Thanks for the invitation to your site -- I will definitely visit! And if you can be patient, I will be There (as opposed to Here) before too much more time goes by and I'll be able to consult with my cousin Gena. He makes superb borsch (as well as other yummy soups) and we've already got plans to play in the kitchen together.


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## David Cottrell (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks Lindochka We will have soup by and by!


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## expatgirl (Oct 3, 2007)

Welcome, Lidochka to our thread---glad that you want to contribute-------


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