Kenny and Daddy have been working hard to repair the roof while Kenny has been home on leave.
Meanwhile, we girls have been in the kitchen preparing meals for them. One of my favorite dishes to make is Vereniki. It is a simple recipe, but can be quite time consuming. I recommend listening to a good sermon tape to keep your mind occupied while your hands are busy. Below is the recipe I use.
Potato Vereniki
Mashed potatoes (Ashley makes the most delicious mashed potatoes! She boils the potatoes in water seasoned with garlic salt. When they are ready, she drains them, reserving the potato water to use while mashing them [in place of milk], and then flavors them with all kinds of delicious spices [more garlic, basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, etc.]. Very tasty!)
Vereniki dough
- 3 Cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 Cup hot (not boiling) water (We like to use the potato water because of the wonderful flavor it lends to the dough.)
- 1 Tablespoon oil (mix with the water)
Mix flour and salt. Add hot water and oil and stir until dough clumps together. Knead.
Roll dough into a log approximately 2″ in diameter and slice into many small pieces. Roll slices into flat circles.
Fill with mashed potatoes.
Filling the Vereniki
Fold over and pinch shut. They should resemble half moons.
Drop into boiling water. Vereniki will rise to the surface when done.
May serve immediately or refrigerate until later. When ready to serve, lightly brown in oiled frying pan. (Potato Vereniki are delicious with olive oil and sauteed onions drizzled on top!) Serve with a fresh, green salad.
Thankful Place 
July 14, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Wow! A lot has happened in your life since I last visited. Congrats on your brother coming home! I know that you all are enjoying every minute together. Samuel wants to know how long he will get to be home with you guys? (gals!) And I want if you will get a chance to come visit. Will you be at the Chatt. Curriculum Fair this weekend?
I love the Vereniki recipe…and I know my family will too. Thank you for posting a detailed recipe! You must know me! 😉 Have you ever tried them with ketchup or marinara sauce? Or leeks?
July 17, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Yes, indeed, Dianna! A lot has happened these past few months. I’m sure you have been very busy too!
Kenny left for Iraq this morning. 😦 We had been hoping to take him out to visit you all, I know he would have loved it, but it just never worked out time-wise. Thank you for the invitation though!
I’m glad you liked the vereniki recipe. I can’t say that I’ve ever had them with ketchup, but leeks sound delicious!
July 18, 2008 at 11:28 am
Whew! Now you can sleep…
You know that you all can come without Kenny. Hint, hint, hint! 🙂
August 10, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I was researching this dish, it has been a family tradition to make. However, we always used dry curd cottage cheese. I wonder if that would still be considered a traditional Vereniki? I know the recipe came from my great grandmother who was a German living in the Ukraine. Any info you could pass along would be helpful!
December 25, 2009 at 11:12 am
All four of my grandparents came from Prussia in the late 1870’s. I am making vereniki today (Christmas) for my family. I use dry curd cottage cheese, and add some raisens to some of them. I serve them with ham gravy – use the ham drippings, add (2) pints sour cream with chives, (2) plain sour cream, and 1 pint cream shaken with 1 T corn starch.
September 18, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Thank you for your comment, Rachel. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. Things have been so busy, my blog has been on the back burner. 🙂
Vereniki is also a tradition in my family as my grandmother also came from the Ukraine. Her family enjoyed several varieties of vereniki, some filled with potatoes, some with a type of cottage cheese (as you mentioned), some with ground meat sauteed with onions, and even some filled with cooked cherries.
In my family we most often fill them with potatoes.
As far as I know, all of these would be considered traditional vereniki. 🙂
September 13, 2010 at 10:44 am
Hi, my parents were Ukrainian and vereniki were always a favourite and are now with my children, Ours have potatoe mixed with finely chopped and fried bacon. Then served with chopped onion fried in butter and a dollop of sour or ordinary cream. Not exactly diet food but it,s a special treat!!
As you said their are many fillings depending on your mothers specialty. I am sure you have enjoyed other Ukrainian dishes such as cabbage rolls and borsch. Aren’t we lucky to have so many yummy dishes that we have inherited?!