Kefir-Dough Potato and Twarog Varenyky with Bacon Shkvarky

Method

1. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl, pour in room-temperature kefir and stir with a fork. When it comes together, knead for 7 min into a smooth, soft dough. The acid in the kefir reacts with the soda, making the dough noticeably softer and puffier when cooked. Wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes.

   Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 220 gKefir (or buttermilk) 120 mlBicarbonate of soda 1 pinchSalt ¼ tsp

2. Peel and quarter the potatoes and put them in a 18 cm pot with cold water to cover and the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower to medium heat and cook for 18 min, until a knife slides in easily. Drain, then return to the heat briefly to drive off all the moisture.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 360 gSalt 0.6 tsp

   high heat→medium heat

3. Cut the bacon into 5 mm dice. Put it in a 24 cm pan with no oil and cook slowly over medium-low heat for 10 min, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are crisp shkvarky (cracklings). Lift them onto kitchen paper with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.

   Add in this stepSlab bacon (or salted pork fat, salo) 100 g

   medium-low heat

4. Add the butter and chopped onions to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat for 14 min, stirring often, until deeply caramelised. If the bottom starts to catch, add 1 tbsp water and scrape. Divide the onions: half for the filling, half for the topping.

   Add in this stepOnions (medium) 2Butter 25 g

   medium heat

5. Push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve for a very smooth texture, then mix in the crumbled farmer's cheese, half the caramelised onions, the pepper and the salt. Cheeses vary in saltiness, so taste and adjust, then let the filling cool completely.

   Add in this stepFarmer's cheese (tvorog / twarog), well drained 120 gBlack pepper to tasteSalt 0.4 tsp

6. Stir the finely grated garlic and chopped dill into the sour cream and chill it. The cold, tangy sauce balances the rich topping.

   Add in this stepSour cream 100 gGarlic clove 1Dill 7 g

7. Roll the dough out thinly, to 1.5 mm, and cut 7–8 cm rounds. Add almost a tablespoon of filling, fold into half-moons, seal the edges firmly, then fold and twist the edge little by little into a rope-like crimp. The crimp looks beautiful and also stops the dumplings bursting. You should get about 24 pc.

8. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, salt it and add the varenyky, stirring gently. When they float, lower to medium heat and cook for 4 min more, working in batches: 4 L · 2×12 (water · batches × pieces). Toss with the remaining onions and the warm pan fat, scatter over the shkvarky and serve with the garlic-dill sour cream.

   Add in this stepSalt ¾ tsp

   high heat→medium heat