Ukrainian vareniki and Polish pierogi are made from rounds of dough folded around filling into half-moons. Fillings vary from savory ground meat and cabbage to potatoes and cheese, to slightly sweet farmer cheese and berries, the last of which is often served as a dessert. They are delicious sautéed in (or dressed with) butter, topped with sour cream, and served as a substantial first course or light main course.

Have ready:

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and tightly cover 3 of the pieces with plastic wrap. Use a pasta roller or a rolling pin to roll out one piece of dough as thin as possible, about ¹⁄₁₆ inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling slightly off-center on each dough round, and fold the dough over to form a half-moon, sealing the edges. Bring the two ends of the half-moon together and pinch them to form a plump circle. Place the shaped dumplings on a floured baking sheet and loosely cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Dough scraps may be saved and rerolled once. If the dough becomes too dry to seal, dip your finger in a little water and moisten the edges of the dumplings before sealing. Let the dumplings rest on the baking sheet for 45 minutes before cooking. To cook, make a soup (such as Hearty Dumpling Soup), or simply bring to a simmer in a large pot:

Add the dumplings in batches to avoid overcrowding, reduce the heat, and simmer until the dumplings float, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully remove with a strainer or slotted spoon to a warmed bowl. Repeat with the remaining dumplings. Pour over them:

Serve with: