Uszka (liitle ear dumplings)

To go in the Wigilia barszcz.



2 oz. dried bolete mushrooms
1 heel of whole wheat bread
1 onion
2 T butter
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 egg white
salt
pepper
1 cup flour
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup water (or less)

Re-hydrate mushrooms in hot water. Remove mushrooms from water and soak bread in mushroom liquid. Sauté coarsely chopped onion in butter until tender and lightly browned, add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute longer. Pass mushrooms, onions, and squeezed out bread in food processor. Add 1/4 bread crumbs, stir in egg white, then add salt and pepper to taste. Filling should be on the stiff side. If too mushy, stir in more bread crumbs.

Sift flour onto breadboard, cut in egg yolk until flour/egg mixture is crumbly. Stir in just enough water to bind the dough. Knead until smooth. Roll out thinly and cut into 1-1/2" squares. Place a tiny amount of filling at the center of each square (about 1/2 t or so), then fold 2 opposite points of the square together to form a triangle and pinch the edges shut. Gently pull 2 ends of the triangle together into a ring and pinch them together.

To cook:
Drop in lightly salted boiling water until uszka float to the top. Remove with slotted spoon and serve with clear barszcz.

Yeast fingers (drożdżowe paluszki)

1/2 cup butter
2 1/4 cups flour, sifted
2 oz. fresh yeast
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 T sour cream
1 egg white
2 T caraway or poppy seeds

Cut butter into flour and rub in with fingertips. Add yeast combined with sugar. Add salt, egg, egg yolks and sour cream. Knead dough for a few minutes.

Form long, thin rolls and place on greased cookie sheets. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size. WHen doubled, brush with egg white and sprinkle with seeds.

Bake at 375˚F for 15 minutes. Remove from sheets immediately.

I serve these with mushroom soup.