Nor is it my pet name for Karen.
It is a calorie-filled, heart-attack inducing lump of culinary deliciousness, passed down through the generations of Karen's German heritage.
Karen's parents have been in town this week, and whenever they visit, we always have this wondrous meal.
Before I begin to declare it's gloriocity, I will confess that upon my first exposures to verenika, I was not won over. I saw not its attraction, nor fathomed its tastefulness. But after a few years, the grafting of my wayward branch into their German vine had taken hold, and I became a disciple of the verenika.
So, just what is a verenika, you ask? It's a pocket of homemade noodle dough, stuffed with a mixture of dry cottage cheese (think something closer to ricotta, not the runny stuff you eat out of a carton), egg and a little seasoning. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's all in the presentation.
The wonder begins with the homemade dough, rolled out thinly and cut into circles.
The little circles of dough are stuffed with the cottage cheese mixture
and then folded over and pinched to make a nice little pocket.
Any remaining dough is cut into noodles to use for...well, I guess anything you want to use noodles for.
Once the little cheese/dough pockets are all made, 
they are boiled for 7-10 minutes. (Sorry, no picture. The cooks were too busy working to stop and document this part of the process).At this point, you might think that the verenika would be ready to eat. The pasta has been boiled, it's now cooked, so they are ready to go.
Wrong.
I should say, you CAN eat them that way, but then you're missing several steps of goodness that only improve their delectability.
Once they've been boiled, they are then sauteed in butter
While all this is going on, another necessary part of the meal is begin prepared: ham slices browned in a skillet.
The ham is a nice addition, but it's really there so that ham gravy can be made from its juices, because after all it's not enough to boil, then saute the verenika; we have to smother them in a succulent cream gravy before we eat them, just in case we don't have enough calories or cholesterol.Add some of Karen's homemade bread basted in her strawberry jam, and you've got a plate of German yumminess just waiting to be eaten.
I know, even as I write this, that some of you are skeptical and don't think this can possibly be as good as I say. And possibly you wouldn't enjoy it as much as Karen and I do.
But all that would prove is that you, dear reader, have no taste.
2 comments:
Mmmm. Sounds good. I think that dish would be a good compliment to the new double down KFC sandwich. My arteries are a little harder now after reading that post.
I want some!!
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