Wigilijny Barszcz z Uszkami (Polish Clear Beetroot Soup with Dumplings)

Barszcz (beet broth)

• 900 g Beetroot, firm, deep red
• 1.5 liters Vegetable stock
• 2 Bay leaves, dried
• 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

Uszka (mushroom dumplings)

• 300 g Mushrooms
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 30 g Unsalted butter
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 250 g Plain flour
• 1 Egg
• 10 g Fresh dill
• 90 ml Water, warm
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt

1. Peel the beetroot and cut into thick slices. Put it in a stockpot with the vegetable stock and bay leaves, bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 45 to 60 minutes until the beetroot is tender and the broth is a deep ruby colour. Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the mushrooms and onion. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion with a pinch of the salt, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the mixture is dry and deeply savoury, then season with a little black pepper and leave to cool.
3. Make the dough: put the plain flour in a mixing bowl and stir in the remaining salt. Beat the egg with the warm water, add to the flour, and mix to a firm dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth, then cover and rest for 20 minutes.
4. Roll the dough thinly on a lightly floured surface and cut into 6 cm squares. Place a small amount of the mushroom filling in the centre of each square, fold into a triangle and press the edges to seal, then bring the two corners together and pinch to form little “ears”. Keep the formed uszka covered as you work so they do not dry out.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the uszka in batches for 2 to 3 minutes after they float to the surface, then lift out with a slotted spoon. Toss with a small knob of the butter from the pan if you like, to stop them sticking.
6. Strain the beet broth through a sieve into a clean pot, pressing gently on the beetroot to extract flavour without clouding the soup. Warm the broth over a low heat, then stir in the apple cider vinegar and season with black pepper and salt to taste. Ladle into bowls, add the uszka, and finish with finely chopped fresh dill.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.