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Poltava halushky

Pinched dumplings with fried onion

Poltava is so proud of its halushky that the city has a monument to them, a giant bowl and spoon in the park near the Ivan Kotliarevsky museum. These are the plainest of Ukrainian dumplings: a soft egg dough pinched or cut into small pieces, boiled until they float and swell, then tossed with onion fried golden in butter and sunflower oil and topped with a cold dollop of sour cream. Every Poltava household eats them on ordinary weekdays, often straight from the pot with a fork. They should be tender and slightly chewy, never gluey. The mistake people make most often is crowding the pot: drop them in two batches into a large pan of rapidly boiling water so they do not stick together. Chef's tip: dip your fingers or the knife in flour between pinches, and the dough comes away clean every time.

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