Our recipes and stories, delivered.

Kasha Varnishkes
4-6
servings
Side Dish
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
2 tbsp
chicken fat, goose fat, vegetable oil, or butter
Jump
1 lg
onion, chopped
Jump
1 c
sliced mushrooms
Jump
1 c
kasha
Jump
2 c
hot salted water or chicken stock
Jump
4 c
cooked bow tie pasta
Jump
Salt and pepper
Jump
1
egg, whisked
Jump

This is a basic recipe for a simple Eastern European dish, so ingredient quality is important. Try an imported pasta like De Cecco and cook it just to al dente so it doesn’t go to mush, and if you’re planning to use chicken or goose fat, get it from a trusted butcher. The egg can be omitted to make the dish vegan.

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F.
  2. In deep sauté pan or medium pot with lid, warm oil over medium. Add onions and cook until golden, then add mushrooms and kasha. Cook, stirring, until mixture is brown and fragrant.
  3. Add water or stock, and reduce heat to medium low. Cover, and simmer until kasha is al dente and most liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
  4. Transfer to casserole dish and toss with pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper (be liberal with the latter).
  5. Toss egg with mixture, working quickly so that it doesn't scramble.
  6. Bake until lightly set with a little bit of browning on top, about 10 minutes.

Layla Schlack

Layla Schlack is an editor at Wine Enthusiast who also writes about home in her TinyLetter, Yellow78.