“The bread and potatoes
are the main national dishes of Ukraine”
Since ancient times bread has held a special, primary position in the cuisine of the Ukrainian people. In general sour rue bread is the common type of bread produced in Ukraine, except in the southern regions, where white-wheat bread is more common. Besides ordinary bread Ukrainians bake various ritual breads from special doughs. Ukrainian bread with its many variations has become quite famous.
For the common people bread was an object of reverence. Bread is used to bring divine blessings to the commencement of every farm task, the marriage ceremony, the birth of a child, and the move to a new house. As a sign of hospitality, guests of honor at celebrations and public functions are greeted with a ceremonial offering of bread and salt.
Cooked cereal – whether wheat, barley, buckwheat, millet, oat, or corn grits – is an ancient Ukrainian food. The most commonly eaten cereals are buckwheat (kasha), millet, mamalyga or kulesha.
The favourite dishes made of flour are dumplings (halushky) and filled dumplings ( varenyky) with various types of filling: cheese, potato, cabbage, meat.
The potato is most widely used vegetable in Ukrainian cooking. It is necessary ingredient in all soups, particularly borsch. Boiled or baked potatoes are served alone or with meat, fish, cheese, cabbage, mushrooms, and so on. Potato pancakes are served with cheese or sour cream.
“Pechena Kartoplia” is the main dish of the day.
Cooking of baked potatoes.
Take some potatoes. Cut them in halves. Thread them on skewer with thin slices of salo (pork fat), onion. Bake it above the hearth.
Quiz for the pupils
- How called the bread cooked for marriage ceremony?
- How called the bread which is blessed in the church on Easter?
- How Ukrainian people meet the dearest guests?
Small boiled dumplings made with rolled dough and filled with a special type of potato and cheese or some other filling are … (Varenyky)