Coming from Eastern Europe, there are many foods I ate in my childhood that hold a lot of significance and nostalgia for me. I remember sitting at the dining table with my mom—little flattened circles of dough arranged around us, ready to be filled with meat and potatoes, to be carefully sealed up and plopped into boiling water. I remember admiring how quickly and elegantly my mom pinched the folds shut, wondering if I would ever be able to do that. Just like this, every dish holds a valuable memory. While these dishes are special for me, they’re dishes I’m sure anyone and everyone will enjoy.
1. Perogies
Referred to as vareniki in Russian, but most well known by their Polish name in North America, perogies are a staple that receive the plentiful recognition they deserve. They are dumplings filled with either savory or sweet filling, pinched tightly, and boiled or pan-fried. I notice that many pierogies in North America tend to be filled with potatoes and cheese, but they can also be filled with cottage cheese, blueberries, cabbage, as well as other lesser-known fillings.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/homemade-pierogi/
2. Pelmeni
Similar to pierogies, but not quite the same thing, pelmeni are also dumplings, but they have a particular filling—meat! Raw ground meat is placed onto rounds of dough and pinched shut in a circular style, ready to be boiled. While pierogies can be sweet or savoury, pelmeni are an exclusively savoury dish.
https://valentinascorner.com/pelmeni-recipe-meat-dumplings/
3. Golubtsi
Golubtsi refers to a stuffed cabbage roll. This traditional dish has a place in various cultures and is a nostalgic food for many nations. Coming from various different countries, cabbage rolls can vary a lot regarding the taste and the filling. For Eastern Europe, the traditional filling for the most part involves rice and meat.
https://vikalinka.com/cabbage-rolls-golubtsi/
4. Shchi
While it seems that the poster child for Eastern European soups is borscht, shchi is much better (in my opinion) and is officially my absolute favourite soup. It’s a cabbage soup with a very comforting savoury taste and soft texture.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-russian-cabbage-soup-shchi-recipe-1135534
5. Blini
Blini are traditional pancakes that can come in small sizes but tend to be large and very flat. They’re a treat on their own, but are even better with garnishes. You can make it a savoury meal by serving it with caviar, sour cream, and tvorog (a type of curd cheese). At home, we also make them sweet, usually by blending together a strawberry sauce.
https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/true-russian-blini
6. Draniki
In the same spirit as blini, draniki are also a sort of pancake. They’re made by grating potatoes into strips and binding them with flour and egg, then frying in a pan. You can eat them just as they are, or garnish with (yep, you guessed it) sour cream! (Everything’s better with sour cream).
https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/draniki
7. Bigos
Bigos, otherwise known as hunter’s stew, is a stew made from various meats stirred together with sauerkraut, and fresh shredded cabbage. It’s a dish that my great grandma often made for my mom, leaving her with a lot of fond memories.
https://eatingeuropean.com/bigos-polish-hunter-stew/
8. Medovik
Let’s end off the series of savoury selections with something sweet! Medovik is a honey and condensed milk cake composed of many thin layers, one on top of the other. It’s an awfully challenging cake to make, especially for novice bakers, but a tasty treat to eat.
https://natashaskitchen.com/8-layer-honey-cake-recipe-medovik/
Whichever of these recipes you try, I hope that you enjoy! Bon appetit!