Ukrainian Vushka Little Ear Dumplings And Mushroom Gravy

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk or 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon oil or 1 teaspoon melted butter
• mushroom, filling
• 1/4 lb dried boletus mushrooms (porcini) or 1/4 lb dried italian mushroom (porcini)
• 2 lbs fresh mushrooms, mature if possible
• 4 onions
• 1 cup oil or 1/2 lb butter
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 1 cup stock
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 vushka combine flour and salt.
• 2 add milk, egg yolk, and oil, and mix.
• 3 allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• 4 knead for 5 minutes and form into a ball.
• 5 this may be done in a processor.
• 6 cover and set aside for 15 minutes or so.
• 7 on a floured surface, roll out a third of the dough into a rectangle 1/8 inch thick.
• 8 turn dough and roll from center, so that all dough is even in thickness.
• 9 run a hand under dough to loosen it.
• 10 dust with flour, flip over, flour again.
• 11 with a sharp knife, cut into 1-1/2 inch squares.
• 12 place a teaspoon of mushroom filling in each square, being careful not to smear edges.
• 13 fold diagonally to make a triangle and press edges.
• 14 pinch together the two bottom corners.
• 15 make sure dough has bonded, or the stuffing will boil out.
• 16 place on cookie sheets covered with towels dusted with flour.
• 17 roll out scraps last, as this dough is a little tougher.
• 18 drop 10 or 12 vushka into 6-8 cups of rapidly boiling water and stir once with a wooden spoon.
• 19 do not cover.
• 20 when they float to the top, cook 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon to a strainer.
• 21 cool on a lightly oiled plate without crowding.
• 22 repeat until all are cooked.
• 23 cover and set aside.
• 24 these may be frozen and then reheated in boiling water.
• 25 do not overcook when reheating.
• 26 to serve, place 4 or 5 vushka in soup bowls and pour hot borsch over them.
• 27 mushroom filling in a saucepan with enough water to cover, bring dried mushrooms to a boil and and simmer until tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
• 28 do not allow to cook dry; add water as needed.
• 29 cool, set aside.
• 30 wipe fresh mushrooms with a damp towel, trim stems, chop fine, and set aside.
• 31 chop onions and cook in oil or butter in a heavy skillet until wilted.
• 32 add chopped fresh mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring.
• 33 remove dried mushrooms from the liquid (reserve it), chop fine, and mix inches.
• 34 cook until mushroom mixtures is dry, then season to taste.
• 35 add lemon juice and bread crumbs.
• 36 stir and remove from heat.
• 37 keep stirring while cooling to allow steam to escape.
• 38 yield: 1 quart.
• 39 may be used to flavor rice for cabbage rolls and to make gravy (recipe included) and soup.
• 40 for the mushroom gravy: using 1 cup of the mushroom mixture above.
• 41 heat stock in a saucepan, add 1 cup mushroom mixture and bring to a boil.
• 42 add cream and heat through.
• 43 season to taste.
• 44 for a thicker gravy, add cornstarch to a little of the cream, and then add to the hot gravy.
• 45 the gravy is excellent with holubtsi, cabbage rolls and roasts, or over toast points.