Baba's Authentic Ukrainian-Canadian Kluski
The Little Ukrainian Potato Dumpling 🥔
Kluski (pronounced "cloo-ski") are a type of Ukrainian, Polish and Belarusian potato dumpling. They are similar in taste and texture to the Italian dumpling Gnocchi. Kluski may be known by various other names depending on family customs or the region where they live. Our famiy makes a hybrid kluski that uses elements of both the Kopytka and Leniwe varieties. This style of Kluski was popular with the Ukrainian settlers in Manitoba, Canada. When I was younger, my Baba and my mother would make it for me for my birthday, as a reward or as a surprise to cheer me up. When we had the time, they were made from scratch otherwise we purchased them from local Ukrainian churches, cultural centres or delicatessens.
Kluski are essentially made the same way regardless of whether you are in Central Europe, Eastern Europe or North America. They all start with a well ripened, soft potato. You can use new and hard potatoes, but the results will not be as good. They will be very lumpy and chewy. Yellow potatoes will give a more buttery taste while the white potatoes will give your Kluski a lighter flavour. Try making Kluski with both types of potatoes to determine which potato base you prefer.
Kluski are topped using a variety of different toppings. Traditionally, Ukrainians used locally grown items such as Dill Weed, Onions, Mushrooms and Tomatoes. My Baba tended to use butter, onions and sour cream. Today, the most popular toppings are dill sauce, bacon bits, finely minced keilbasa and onion butter sauce. There is no wrong way to top your Kluski. Try experimenting with different flavour combinations.
Get my Baba's Recipie
This recipie was passed down by word of mouth. All measurements are approximate. You may have to adjust the amounts to get your desired result. Is your Baba's recipe like this one or is it made differently?
Ingredients
- Old, soft white potatoes chopped. Enough to almost fill a large 12 litre pot.
- 1/4 cup or 32 grams of shredded cheddar cheese OR 1 slice of processed cheese.
- 1-2 large eggs.
- 2 cups or 272 grams of white flour.
- ½ tsp or 4 grams of salt.
- 1 medium yellow onion diced.
- 1/4 block or 115 grams of butter.
- Optional: Sour cream.
Steps
- Fill up a 12 litre pot 3/4 full of water. Bring water to a boil.
- Add chopped soft white potatoes. Make sure to leave 1 inch or 3 cm from the top of the pot to avoid spilling starch foam onto the stovetop.
- Bring the pototatos to a boil then turn down to Medium-High heat.
- Cook potatoes until soft but not mushy.
- Drain water from pot. Mash potatoes in pot. No lumps.
- Mash 1 slice of cheese (or 31g of shredded cheddar cheese) into the mashed potatoes until mixed well.
- Add 1-2 eggs into the mixture. Mix well.
- Sprinkle large amount of flour (1/2 cup to 1 cup) on counter. Place mound mash potato mixture on top of flour. Cover with another 1/2 cup to 1 cup of flour.
- Knead mashed potato mixture and flour together just enough to form dough.
- Cut off a small piece of dough at a time and roll into round long, logs 1 inch wide. Cut logs on a diagonal to form dumplings. Set separated on tea towels until ready to boil.
- In a small frypan, melt butter and brown onions.
- Bring a large pot of saled water to a boil. Add the dumplings 20-30 at a time.
- Cook dumplings over medium-high heat stirring frequently until they float.
- Scoop each floating dumpling out a few at a time with a strainer spoon into a serving bowl until all dumplings are out.
- Keep cooking the Kluski in small batches at a time to prevent sticking, uneven cooking and damage to them.
- Top with the onion and butter topping. Serve warm with sour cream on the side.
