potato cheese varenike

otherwise known as pierogi, these are the jewish variation which go by the yiddish name of varenike(h). part of the difference is that ours are fried after being cooked while the former are served (unfried) after being poached in salted water — both ways are equally delicious. in my family, we only fry them on one side, giving them both texture and colour — one side crispy and golden, the other white and soft.

this is the dairy version [recipe] i always use, especially for the holiday of shavuot. you can save yourself a bit of headache and make the filling the night before and then continue with making the dough the day you'll cook them. just bring the filling to room temperature first as potatoes tend to solidify when cold (take it out of the fridge when you're making the dough).

the dough is amazing to work with — it is very soft and willing to roll out with little coaxing or prodding. it will surely become one of your favourites, too. the dough uses sour cream (recommended) but if you want you can use yogurt. just drain it for a bit before until it has the consistency of sour cream (thick but still 'stir-able').

making these alone is a bit of a "potchkeh" .... ok, let's not lie, it is a lot of work, especially if you decide to make the full recipe all on the same day (i'm a glutton for punishment). having an extra set of hands speeds up the process but it can be done on your own if you have the patience. just make sure those extra hands are willing to carry through the arduous varenike making task. it's at least 2 to 3 hours of work just rolling, stuffing & cooking (not including {pre-made} filling, if you've done it). (and someone reading this — you know who you are — knows EXACTLY what i am talking about! LOL)

the reward will be your own vareneke which can be frozen after cooking*. both the dough and filling can be doubled to yield approximately 110 varenike for big batch cooking.

serve with golden brown fried onions and lots of sour cream! :))


potato cheese varenike

makes approximately 55 varenike

ingredients:

varenike (pierogi) dough:

1 large egg
1 c sour cream
1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil
2 1/4 c AP flour

(dough recipe from j. smith)

potato cheese filling:

4 - 5 medium sized potatoes (more towards the smaller size than larger)
1/2 of a 500 gram (1lb) container/pkg creamy cottage cheese
1 medium-large onion
~1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder & garlic powder, optional

method:

make the filling (first):

peel and cut potatoes in cubes. cook in salted water until they can be easily broken apart.

drain and place in a bowl. mash them well and set aside loosely covered to cool.

add the salt (about 3/4 tsp) and pepper. add more salt, if needed, only at the end of mixing everything .

meanwhile, FINELY mince the onion and fry it in about 2 to 3 tbsp oil or butter. once browned, add it to the mashed potatoes.

take the cottage cheese and mash it well so it is broken down finely. you can also push it through a fine wire strainer provided the holes are large enough — too small and it won't work.

add this to the potato-onion mixture and blend everything.

taste and adjust. remember, it should be a bit on the salty side as the dough is bland. don't however "go mental" adding tons of salt!


for the dough:

couldn't be simpler — mix all the ingredients together. knead it for about two minutes until it is well blended and you have a nice dough.

let it rest for about 20 minutes.


making the varenike:

first, fill a large soup pot/dutch oven with water and place on the stove on medium heat. bring it to a boil while making the varenike, then turn the heat down to keep it hot until you're ready to cook them.

divide dough in half.

take one piece and cover the other. roll out the 1/2 portion of dough to about 1/8" thick on a floured board.

using a cutter or a drinking glass, cut out approximately 3 inch circles.

a time saver is to cut out many of them all at once and then place filling on each.

place only about 2 tsp, maximum, in the center of the circle.

form the varenike as follows:

wet the edges of one half of the circle (like making the mouth of a "smiley face") and bring the top half down.

press well to seal the edges.

continue until all are made.

place them on a tea towel covered cookie sheet and keep covered with another tea towel or with plastic wrap. what i do is place them in rows of five on a plate and then cover with plastic wrap. i repeat these rows until i am finished, each row separated by plastic wrap. you can only do this if you are going to use them right away — be forewarned — if you let them sit longer than 20 minutes, any of them touching each other, will fuse together as the dough gets stickier the longer it sits (especially if your kitchen is hot).

*at this point, you can freeze them flat on a tray and then put them in a ziploc for later use; to cook them, don't defrost ..... just cook them as shown below. the potato filling is perfectly fine once cooked from its frozen state (usually potato does not freeze well).

be frugal:

reroll your scraps until it is ALL used up! after removing the lacy bits of dough in between the circles, put it back in a bowl and use it up later.

remember, the more you roll the used dough, the more elastic it becomes and the more resistant it is to not wanting to retract after the rounds are cut. therefore, DO NOT knead it. just gather it and roll it out. the dough is soft enough to come together nicely. it may be a good idea to let it sit for a few minutes after you've rolled it out so the gluten relaxes again.


cooking the varenike:

just before they are all made, unless you have help and are doing it production-line-style, raise the heat of the water to bring it to a boil. it should be salted water.

drop in the varenike in batches.

they will fall to the bottom of the pot.

let them cook until they float and then simmer for 10 minutes, the pot partially covered. remove them with a slotted spoon and let them drain.

i usually drain them and add a few tablespoons of oil so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot or to each other (they will if you don't). this is to hold them over until i am ready to fry them.

you can eat them as is with sour cream (i.e. like pierogi) or fry them on one side in butter and oil until browned.

to fry, place them in a frying pan with some oil or oil/butter mixture and let them cook until they are browned on a single side. you can do both but they are better one side only (i feel).

serve them with fried golden brown onions and sour cream!

enjoy!

cheese blintzes

nothing says classic jewish food more than cheese blintzes. these are especially popular for the holiday of shavuot when dairy foods are traditionally eaten.

there are different recipes for the bletlach (blintz leaves or crêpes) and the filling. the one i am posting here is always successful and definitely worth the trouble of making, especially if you like cheese. see the post here for how to make the blintz leaves.

as for the filling, much depends upon where you live and what is available to you in terms of cheese products. i have, over my lifetime, had many different versions. my favourite is always the kind which are dense and with a creamy consistency rather than a dry (gritty, ech!!) one. therefore, the filling i offer here is a mixture of three different cheeses (rather 2 types). and no, i don't add cinnamon! i find it vile mixed with the cheese filling — made that mistake once, never again.

cottage cheese is usually used for the bulk of most cheese blintz fillings. it comes in two types here in north america: dry and "wet". the dry type is usually in a block and tightly compressed. it has a fine grain to it and little liquid. the "wet" types are larger curd and tend to be a bit salty. the wet component is actually the milk/cream content.

for this particular recipe, both types are used in addition to cream cheese. it's a great filling combination. in the recipe, i show two variations for the filling. as i'm sure there are some people who WON'T like a creamy consistency, i show how to make it the more traditional textured way. to please both crowds, i split the ingredients in two and make 1/2 creamy and 1/2 textured and then combine the two — the best of both worlds.

you can experiment with different cheeses like ricotta mixed with others. the idea, however, is that that the mixture is a DRY one that will not "run" or ooze when it is cooked. the interior filling should be somewhat firm once cooked.

in any event, the recipe yields enough for 20 blintzes. you can freeze them after you form them. it's best to freeze them in batches of 2 or 4 ..... you don't want to defrost 12 when you need 2 for a quick snack!

traditionally, these are served with fresh fruit and sour cream. you can use yogurt or maple syrup or honey, too. all depends on what you like. i've even had them served with whipped cream. there goes the diet!

you can cut the recipes for the filling and blintz leaves in half.


basic cheese blintzes

makes enough for 20 to 24 blintzes

ingredients:

500 g (1 lb) dry cottage cheese
1/2 of a 500 g container regular cottage cheese
4 oz cream cheese (philadelphia style)

1 small lemon, juiced
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
5 to 6 tbsp sugar

2 egg yolks

*****

make the bletlach or "leaves" first. in other words, the crepes ..... see here. these can be done in advance and filled the next day.

*****

method:

a note about the main ingredients before starting:

the dry cottage cheese looks like this:

it is tight grained with very little liquid.

to use it in this recipe, just remove it from the package. there should be minimal liquid. if there is a lot, then you can drain it first.

in north america, cottage cheese can be bought in dry form — usually used for baking — and in a creamy form with larger curds (of cheese). this is the everyday kind of cottage cheese people use to eat on its own or prepared some other way.

the "wet" kind of cottage cheese looks like this and comes in plastic 500 g containers.

before starting the recipe, prepare the creamy style cottage cheese by rinsing it in a fine strainer to remove the liquid content.

what you will be left with are the curds of cheese. it won't seem like much but that is all you need for this recipe.

the best cream cheese to use looks like this:


the filling can be made two ways — it depends what you like in terms of texture.

1. completely smooth

to make it this way, all you need to do is blend all the ingredients together. it is best to cut up the cream cheese in smaller pieces and make sure it is at room temperature. i am using a small food processor so it has to be done in two batches.


2. textured

for this version, you need to combine the cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar first and process it until completely smooth.

once that is done, add the remaining ingredients and pulse until incorporated (or until you get the consistency you like).

putting it all together —

important: count the number of blintzes you made and divide the filling equally. do NOT overfill them. i use between 38 to 42 grams of filling per 24 blintzes (i weigh the filling and divide).

fill the blintzes the same way you would for making a spring/egg roll:

note: you place the filling on the side which was exposed to the bottom of the crêpe pan! the exposed rolled up blintz should be yellowish.

at this point, you can freeze them or continue on. if you freeze, don't place them next to each other or they'll stick when frozen. place them on a tray and freeze them as single units and then put them in well closed ziplocs (nylon/plastic) bags.

once the blintzes are filled, fry in butter over medium heat on both sides until golden.

serve with fresh fruit like blueberries and/or strawberries and sour cream.

enjoy!

basic blintz batter and bletlach

blintzes are the jewish version of crêpes which are eaten year round. they are especially popular this time of the year to celebrate the holiday of shavuot, the end of the 40 day period when moses is said to have received the 10 commandments on mount sinai (counting beginning after the 2nd passover seder).

blintzes are not, however, eaten the same way thin french (folded) crêpes are — ours are always filled with something, either sweet or savoury, rolled up and pan fried in butter or margarine until they are golden brown.

the following recipe is one i found quite a few years ago which works extremely well. it can be made quickly in a blender or with a hand (or emulsion) mixer. do not use a food processor as it is not appropriate, especially for this volume. the recipe can be cut in half.

if you want to make the bletlach (yiddish for "leaves" i.e. the crêpes) to use with a savoury filling, omit the sugar & vanilla and replace it with salt. you can make the recipe parve (non dairy) by using soymilk or just water. it all works.

as with all crêpe batters, you MUST let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours before using it for best results.

an important thing to remember is that it is best to use a crêpe pan but to be honest, any fry pan will do. the advantage of a crêpe is that it is made from steel which conducts the proper heat and the sides are beveled which form the proper edge to help make the blintz leaves. i use a 8 1/4" pan (measured from side edge to side edge) to make these. if you are using a fry pan, try to use one which will form the exact size (a finished 7 1/2" crêpe).

to make this size, i use a little less than a 1/4 c of batter per blintz leaf. do no pour out the excess — this is not necessary. just keep swirling the pan around to coat the surface (which is why you need the right diameter pan!). if there is any patch which is not coated, you can add a few extra drops of batter.

blintz leaves are only cooked on one side and they should be barely coloured. if they are browned, the heat is too high. lower it to a medium low heat. it should only take up to one minute or so to cook each leaf.

you really only need to oil the pan for the first one you make. there is enough butter or oil in the batter to help them not stick after that. keep in mind, the first one(s) may look terrible, especially if you have never made them before, but with each successive one, you will improve.

follow these guidelines and you should (hopefully!) be very well rewarded.

look here for the cheese filling.


basic blintz batter & bletlach

makes 20 to 24 (7 1/2") bletlach or blintz crêpes

ingredients:

4 large eggs
1 c milk (or water or soymilk for parve version)
1 1/2 c water
1/4 c sugar (for sweet version)
1 tsp vanilla (for sweet version)
2 tbsp butter or margarine/oil**

1/4 tsp salt (if making savoury version)

2 1/4 c cake flour*

*cake & pastry flour is best though you can get away with all purpose flour
** DO NOT omit! this is essential in helping the blintz leaves not stick to the pan


method:

make the batter by placing the wet ingredients together in your blender.

mix well until blended for about 30 seconds.

place the flour directly on top of the mixed wet ingredients.

cover and blend for about 1 full minute.

at this point, you will end up with about 5 cups of batter. you can pour the batter in a fine meshed strainer, as is classically done, to make sure you have a perfect batter (i recommend this for beginners). place the batter, covered, in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. longer is better.

after having let the batter rest, you will notice it will have separated into layers. this is normal.

take a whisk and redistribute the liquids.

the consistency should be like that of coffee creamer (a bit thicker than milk). it needs to be liquid and not thick like pancake batter to form the blintz leaves correctly.

prepare the pan —

heat your pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

take it off the heat and add about 2 tsp of butter or margarine/oil. swirl it around. i always do this over the sink.

with a wadded piece of paper towel, wipe out the excess. you need a thin film only.

to make the blintz leaves:

return the pan to the heat. make SURE it is on a medium to medium low heat. usually, you always need to adjust the heat for the first few.

measure out a little less than 1/4 cup of batter. i have the right size ladle so i don't need to measure.

sorry, no picture here (impossible to take pictures and swirl at same time!)

add the batter to the pan and swirl it around, off the heat, until it coats the whole surface. i am assuming you're using the proper sized pan to ensure you get a perfect round. don't worry if you get spots that seem uneven or a little bumpy. if there are any open holes, fill them up with a little extra batter. you DO NOT need to pour out the excess provided you used the right amount.

cook the blintz leaf until it seems dry on top. this should take a minute or so only. DO NOT overcook them. they will bubble a bit on the surface when ready.

to remove the crepes from the pan:

take a blunt knife and loosen each around the edges. take the pan off the heat at this point.

now take the whole pan, and turn it over to flip the bletl (leaf) onto a plate. if it doesn't fall out easily, it may be your pan or your technique. try lifting the crêpe up with your fingers from the edges just to release it from the surface before flipping it. flipping them over directly on top each is the easiest way to do it.

look at your first blintz leaf. it is is browned, the heat is too high. time to lower it and continue on. the top of the side you flip over should be barely coloured. it's fine if it's a little lightly browned.

continue on this way until all are cooked. it will take patience to make them as it is about an hour event. (yes, it's long.....but think of the results!)

stack the blintz leaves one on top of the other in a neat pile. let cool.

if you're worried they'll stick to each other, don't! they won't.

n.b. you can cover the cooled leaves and store them in the fridge for later (or the next day).

now go fill your blintzes and enjoy!

demystifying semolina

i've been asked several times what semolina is and if the person asking has purchased the right product for some of the recipes posted to my blog. instead of explaining it each time, i am posting the answer here. this is the very 'short course' on semolina. here is the longer course on flour & wheat.

read and understand! :))

* * * * * * * * *

the first things you need to know are:

there are 3 types of wheat:

1 - hard wheat

*hard kernels -- high gluten -- used mostly for bread flour

2 - soft wheat

*soft kernels -- low gluten -- used mostly for pastry flour and "semolina"

3 - durum wheat

*very hard kernels -- very high gluten -- used mostly for pasta & couscous & "semolina"

each has a winter type and a spring type harvest.

without getting into all the minutiae, suffice it to say each wheat is a type of its own (with many varieties) giving different types of flours and wheat products. a variety of parts of the wheat kernel are used for the various flours and products made from it.

eg. whole wheat (meal) flour includes the bran coating; all purpose doesn't.

if you noticed, both soft wheat and durum wheat produce the much used product called semolina. this is where much of the confusion arises. the truth is..... it is confusing! more than once, i have seen it described in terrible terms in cookbooks. either the explanation was vague or just plain wrong. this coming from cookbook authors! hopefully, after reading this you won't be confused.

so, what is semolina anyway?! the easiest way to visualize/understand it is to first realize what it is and where it comes from. semolina is, in botanical terms, the endosperm. this means it is basically what eggwhite is to an egg (yolk). it is the albumin — starch portion — of the wheat grain. when processed, it is very small and granular.

there are 2 types of semolina depending upon which type of wheat is used:

[I] HARD WHEAT [Yellow] SEMOLINA (type: high gluten, high protein)

*comes from durum wheat ergo called 'durum semolina'
*can be bought in 2 types: granular + flour

-GRANULAR type is mostly used to make couscous along with durum flour.

-FLOUR type is mostly used for noodles, breads and baking (often called "pasta flour")

*is always YELLOW

-you should consider this type as the "bread flour type" of semolina as it is commonly used in making PASTA, COUSCOUS, (a type of pasta) & BREADS and BAKING due to its gluten percentage/ratio.

* * * * * * * * *

[II] SOFT WHEAT [White] SEMOLINA (type: high carb, low protein & low gluten)

*comes from different varieties of soft wheat
*can be bought in 2 types: granular + flour

-GRANULAR type is called:

solet in hebrew or smeed(i) in arabic;

in english it is also known under names such as cream of wheat, farina or wheatlets.

in hindi and other similar languages it is called either sooji or rava/rawa.

-FLOUR type is called:

firkha in arabic or farine de semoule in french.

be careful because there are different grinds, depending on the company/mill which is producing it: often you will see wheatlets #1 or 2 or 3. decide which is most appropriate for your recipe.

note that for nammoura cakes, the granular type is typically used. for baking cakes and certain breads, the flour type is used. in indian cooking, the granular type is used for a variety of recipes depending on geography.

*both kinds are always an 'OFF-WHITE' or WHITISH colour.

(this is how to tell the difference between hard wheat and soft wheat kinds -- as a general rule).

-you should consider this type as the "pastry flour type" of semolina as it is commonly used in making BAKED GOODS. it is used differently (sometimes) in indian cooking however.

NOW GO MAKE SOMETHING! :)