That first bite takes me home

They say you eat with your eyes first. I am adding to that bit of wisdom: You remember with your taste buds first. For me, that is punctuated by my family’s traditional Ukrainian Christmas eve dinner — perogies. I cannot remember a Christmas eve without them.

I can’t be home to share the meal with my family in Montana this year, but as we eat these Ukrainian dumplings here in Spokane, each bite reaches back to warm memories of home.

Here’s my grandpa’s recipe:

Perogie

Ingredients

• 6 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Beat eggs, add milk, water and oil. Add salt to flour. Gradually add liquid ingredients to the flour. Knead on floured board until dough is smooth. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. While dough is resting, prepare filling.

Roll out dough thin and cut in 2-inch squares. Place spoonful of filling and fold in triangle. pinch edges tightly to seal well. Drop in boiling water and boil gently until done.  (10-15 minutes)

Potato filling

Ingredients

• Several cups mashed potatos
• Sauteed onion (to taste)
• Crumbled bacon bits (to taste, optional)
• Salt to taste

Mix.