Polish barszcz with uszka: clear Christmas Eve beet soup with mushroom dumplings

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Soak the mushrooms

   30 min

   Pour 300 ml hot water over the dried porcini and let soak for 30 minutes.

2. Make the broth

   30 min

   Peel the carrots, parsley root, celery root, and onion, cut into large pieces, and place in a pot with 2 l water, the bay leaves, and allspice. Add the mushrooms and their strained soaking liquid and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and reserve for the filling.

3. Add the beets

   30 min

   Peel the beets, cut into thin slices, and add to the broth along with the crushed garlic. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the beets release their color. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer so it stays clear.

4. Season the soup

   5 min

   Strain the soup and season with lemon juice, sugar, marjoram, salt, and pepper for a gently sweet-and-sour flavor. Do not boil it again; just warm it through, as prolonged boiling would cause it to lose its color.

5. Make the dumpling filling

   10 min

   Finely chop the onion and sauté in the butter until softened. Add the finely chopped cooked mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and let cool.

6. Make the dough

   15 min

   Combine the flour, egg, a pinch of salt, and 80 ml warm water and knead into a smooth, elastic dough. Cover with an inverted bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.

7. Shape the dumplings

   25 min

   Roll the dough into a thin sheet, 1–2 mm thick, and cut into 4 × 4 cm squares. Place a small pinch of filling on each square, fold into a triangle, and press the edges to seal. Join the two corners along the folded side to form a small ear shape.

8. Cook and serve

   10 min

   Cook the dumplings in salted water until they float, then cook for another 2 minutes. Place 5–6 dumplings in each soup bowl and ladle the hot barszcz over them.

Tip: Freeze the uncooked dumplings on a baking sheet, then cook them directly from frozen for 2 minutes longer. Barszcz without dumplings can also be served in a mug for sipping.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Rubínový poľský barszcz s uškami: číra cviklová polievka na Štedrý večer s hubovými taštičkami