Magda's Cauldron

Uszka (they literally mean “little ears” due to their shape) are the quieter, less famous cousins of pierogi, but they totally deserve the spotlight. These tiny “little ears” are most often served in clear soups, especially Christmas Eve beetroot (barszcz), and can be filled with mushrooms or meat.

On the plate they look absolutely adorable, but there is a catch: uszka demand more time and patience than regular pierogi. You cut smaller shapes, and then fold and pinch each little piece by hand, which turns making them into a whole afternoon project. It is a bit of work, but that’s also the magic, uszka are the kind of dumpling you make with company, and a cup of tea, and they taste even better when you remember the laughter that went into them.

Polish Porcini Mushroom Dumplings (Uszka) for Borscht

• Servings: 4
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: medium
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Classic Polish Christmas Eve little ear shaped pierogi filled with mushrooms.

Filling

• 60 g dried wild mushrooms (like porcini)
• 1 onion
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Black pepper

Dough

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 140 g very hot, but not boiling water (around 90°C)
• 20 g canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Extra flour for dusting

Filling

1. Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak overnight. Next day, drain them but keep the soaking liquid.
2. Move the mushrooms to a small pot, cover with fresh water, and simmer for about 20 minutes until soft. Mince the mushrooms using meat grinder or chop them finely.
3. Finely chop the onion. Heat oil or butter in a pan and fry the onion on medium heat until soft and translucent.
4. Add the ground mushrooms to the pan with onions. Season with black pepper.
5. Cook everything together for 10-15 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is fairly dry and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Dough

1. Make the dough: In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Add the very hot water and oil, then stir with a spoon until it comes together.
2. Knead: When cool enough to handle, knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can use stand mixer if you prefer. Cover and rest for 20–30 minutes.
3. Roll out the dough: Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll out one piece at a time to about 2–3 mm thickness on a floured surface.
4. Cut circles: Use a glass or cutter (about 7–8 cm) to cut circles from the dough.
5. Fill: Place a small spoonful of mushroom filling in the centre of each circle. Do not overfill.
6. Seal and shape: Shape your pierogi as usual first. lFold the dough over the filling to form a half‑moon and pinch the edges well, making sure there are no gaps. To turn them into uszka, take one pieróg, gently bend it, then bring the two pointed ends together and seal them, as if you were wrapping the dumpling around a pencil or your little finger.
7. Cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add pierogi in batches, stir once so they don’t stick, and cook for 2–3 minutes after they float to the surface.
8. Serve: Serve them in your borscht as soon as they’ve cooled down just a little. If you’re saving them for later, let them cool completely in a single layer (on a tray or board) so they don’t touch too much, lightly brush or toss them with a bit of oil, then move them into a lidded container and refrigerate.