Kasha Varnishkes
From Eastern Europe/ Ukraine
Contributed by Ellen Berkowitz
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Behind the Dish
My brother’s favorite food was Kasha Varnishkes. Sadly, at the young age of 30, when his wife was pregnant with their first child, he developed a brain tumor. The prognosis was grim and the treatment was grueling.
At that time, they lived in an apartment in a building in NYC. Hearing of his illness, his neighbors wanted to help. They learned of his favorite dish. They brought bowls of Kasha Varnishkes to his door all through his treatment. This being New York City, home of the largest Jewish population of Jews outside of Israel, there were many different family variations of the dish, all of which he loved.
The end result? He recovered! He’s now 63 years old. Was this miracle due to the Kasha Varnishkes, the love and concern of his neighbors, or the care he got at Sloan Kettering? We’ll never know. I hope you’ll feel the comfort this dish brings.
Ingredients
Butter, oil, or a combination of both
2 large onions, chopped (feel free to use more)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup kasha (roasted buckwheat groats, not raw buckwheat groats), I prefer whole granulation
2 cups boiling broth or water
½ pound bow tie pasta, cooked and drained. Keep warm or rewarm by running under hot water
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Sauté the onions in butter, oil, or a combination of both slowly until soft and lightly browned.
While the onions are cooking, mix the kasha with the beaten egg until all grains are coated. Cook in another skillet or wide bottomed pan until the grains are dry and separate.
Add the broth to the kasha. Add salt unless broth is salty.
Combine onions, cooked kasha, and pasta. Enjoy!
Variations
Add mushrooms. Use large or small bowtie pasta. Use coarse (not fine) granulation kasha instead of whole. Use more or less pasta to change the kasha/noodle ratio.