Cue Up The Episode!

1. Be sure to listen to Lydia's dramatic story, I Am Piotr's Granddaughter on The Storied Recipe Podcast while you make these. Also, look for, Emergency Episode: Cook For Ukraine with Zuza Zak.

Make The Recipe

1. Place butter into milk and heat until butter is melted. Mix all together with other ingredients to roll and cut dough into circles about the size of the palm of your hand.
2. Cook potatoes until they are soft enough to mash. Grate cheese. Dice onions and saute in butter or sunflower oil.
3. Mash potatoes with all the other ingredients. I put the cheese in first then put the potatoes on top to get the cheese to melt.
4. Roll and cut the dough in circles and fill with a tablespoon of the filling.
5. Pinch the dough around to make a half moon and pinch closed. (At times water might be applied with the tip of the finger to make them seal which is very important.) Lay on a damp towel and cover while finishing all the dough and filling.
6. Bring a large pot of water (salted) to a simmer. Drop vareneky into simmering water 4 at a time, so as not to crowd them. They will stick if you put too many in.
7. When they float they are ready for an ice bath to remove a bit of the starch (clean pan in the sink filled with ice water) after a couple of minutes lift them out with a slotted spoon, remove them, and place them on a buttered cookie sheet.
8. Fry them with butter and serve with more sauteed onion, sour cream, and dill.