Uszka is a Polish dumpling filled with minced meat, cabbage or mushrooms, often served with Ukrainian borscht. It is a traditional Christmas dish in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine. The dough is made from eggs, flour and salt, and the filling includes onion, butter, breadcrumbs and egg. The dumplings are boiled and can be frozen for later use. Uszka is similar to pierogi and varenyky dumplings, which are also part of traditional Eastern European cuisine.
Uszka is a Polish dumpling that is usually filled with minced meat, cabbage or mushrooms. It is often served on its own, but is often accompanied by a Ukrainian soup called borscht. While the food originated in Poland, it is a common dish in several Eastern European countries, especially Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine. It is especially popular as a traditional dish served at Christmas time in these countries.
The word uszka means “little ears” in Polish and is inspired by the shape of dumplings. They are made of folded squares of dough, to which the filling is added. The finished product looks similar to a Chinese wonton or Italian tortellini.
Uszka dough is made from eggs, flour and salt. The basic filling consists of onion, butter, breadcrumbs and egg. The rest of the filling is traditionally savory and usually consists of dried porcini mushrooms, cabbage or minced meat, alone or combined. Porcini mushrooms are a particularly favorite ingredient, as there is a strong Polish tradition of mushroom hunting.
Dumplings are made by placing the filling in a square of dough and pressing the corners into a triangle over the filling. Then the two points of the triangle are pinched together to form a small package. The dumplings are then boiled for a few minutes in salted water.
Although uszka dumplings have a simple recipe, preparing them takes time and work. Many Polish households make large batches of dumplings at a time and freeze them for later use. A typical supply can last several months.
Especially as a traditional Christmas meal, uszka is often served with borscht, a Ukrainian soup that can be served hot or cold. While often made primarily of beets, borscht can also have a dominant tomato or even sorrel base for a green-colored broth. A white borscht made from fermented rye is also popular in Poland. The Polish version of borscht tends to have more ingredients than its Ukrainian counterpart, including carrots, garlic, celery and root vegetables. The uszka can be served inside or alongside the soup.
Uszka is similar to pierogi and varenyky dumplings, which are also part of traditional Eastern European cuisine. Pierogi can be baked or fried and is usually served as an appetizer. They are made of dough cut into circles or squares and folded in half or pressed into a half circle. Varenyky are usually crescent-shaped and filled with a combination of cheese, cabbage, meat, sauerkraut, beef, and hard-boiled eggs. Some varenyky varieties are simply full of fruit.
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