Vatrushka

They call to you.

Vatrushka are very popular little cheese pies that are much beloved in Ukraine and are popular in some other countries in eastern Europe. Normally served in a sweet variety, there are also savory kinds you can enjoy – such as with a potato filling or a savory cheese.

Today's recipe will be a classic version – sweet, cheese-filled Vatrushky. A good point of reference is the venerable (American style) Danish. To me, Vatrushka is by far the most favorite treat from childhood – a little dose of sunshine.

Which is fitting, perhaps, because their resemblance to little suns is often noted! Some even believe that Vatrushky recipes go all the way back to pre-Christian times, when the sun god Yarylo was worshipped during Green Holidays. I don't know about that, but I do know there's plenty to worship just in this pastry!

So let's get to it, shall we?

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How to Make Vatrushky, by Chef Klopotenko

Deliciousness!

Ingredients for the dough

250 ml of warm Milk
25 g of live Yeast
2 tbsp. Sugar
600 g of Flour + 50 g for dusting
¼ tsp. Salt
2 Eggs
30 g of melted Butter
10 g of Vanilla Sugar [Editor's note: half a teaspoon of vanilla extract could work as a substitute]
1 Yolk for greasing

Ingredients for the filling

300 g of farmer's cheese [Editor's note: cottage cheese could work if you press out ALL the water with a cheesecloth!]
100 g of Sugar
1 Egg

Recipe

Pour 250 g of warm milk into a bowl, add 25 g of yeast and 2 tbsp. sugar. Mix until smooth and leave for 10 minutes.
Add 600 g of flour, ¼ tsp. salt, 2 eggs, 30 g of melted butter and 10 g of vanilla sugar, mix until all the ingredients are combined.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until it stops sticking to your hands. Return the finished dough to the bowl, cover with film or a towel and leave to rise in a warm place without drafts for one and a half hours. The dough should increase by 2-3 times.
Place the risen dough on the work surface, knead it for 1-2 minutes, roll it into a long sausage and divide it into 10-12 equal parts. Shape each into a ball and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other.
Press the center of each ball with the bottom of a small glass to create space for the filling. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes. At this time, turn on the oven to heat up to 180 degrees C (350F).
Making the filling: Mix 300 g of sour milk cheese with 100 g of sugar and 1 egg until completely combined.
Put filling inside each Vatrushka, then brush it with yolk.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Serve the Vatrushky hot or cold – whichever you prefer. They taste equally great in any form and temperature.

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Смачного!

Part of our series on Ukrainian recipes! You can find the other entries in the series here:

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The 929th day of a ten-year invasion that has been going on for centuries.

One day closer to victory.

🇺🇦 HEROIAM SLAVA! 🇺🇦

by duellingislands

6:20 AM; The Sun is Rising Over Kyiv on the 929th Day of the Full-Scale Invasion. Vatrushka! Ukrainian Danishes???

Vatrushka

How to Make Vatrushky, by Chef Klopotenko

Смачного!

🇺🇦 HEROIAM SLAVA! 🇺🇦

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