1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. Home Cooking

Kasha Varnishkes Recipe - Kasha with Bowtie Pasta Recipe

User Rating5.0 out of 5 (1 Review)  Write a Review

From The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancesters (Wm Morrow & Co.), About.com Guest

Kasha buckwheat groats are cooked with onions and chicken stock, then mixed with bowtie pasta for a classic Jewish dish. This was traditional comfort food for Russian Jews, brought to America by immigrants. It continues to be a favorite in the Lower East Side district of New York City, as well as across the U.S. This is a great source of fiber, perfect for a side dish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup kasha buckwheat groats, medium granulation
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • 2 Tablespoons rendered chicken fat or vegetable oil
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cups chicken stock or use canned
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup pasta bow ties

Preparation:

In a small bowl, mix the kasha with the beaten egg. Be sure all the grains are covered with egg. Place a medium non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the kasha to the pan and, using a wooden fork, flatten it out a bit, stirring and moving it about the pan until the egg dries and the grains have mostly separated. Set aside.

Place a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta bow ties. (Do not cook them yet.)

In a 4-quart heavy stove-top covered casserole, heat the chicken fat or oil and saute the onions until clear. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the salt and pepper and the reserved kasha. Stir a bit and cover. Cook over low heat, stirring now and then, until the kasha is tender, about 10 minutes. If it is not done to your taste, cook for a few more minutes.

In the meantime, boil the pasta just until tender. Drain well and stir into the kasha.

Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings as a starch dish

Recipe Source: The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancesters by Jeff Smith (Wm Morrow & Co, Inc.)
Reprinted with permission.

5 out of 5 5 out of 5
Easy to make veganSeptember 22, 2009By queerboi
"I was making this from memory - but thought I'd check to be sure it was really as simple as I had remembered. I was cooking for a dinner party that included a vegan (no meat or dairy - including eggs), so I heated the buckwheat in a pan using olive oil spray instead of eggs - and it worked! I also substituted vegetable stock instead of water and cooked the onions in olive oil. Mixed it all together - added salt and pepper - and it was delicious! Not as heavy as I remembered (since it was sans chicken fat) but really good nonetheless."

Explore Home Cooking

About.com Special Features

Conquering High Cholesterol

Learn how you can reduce your your numbers with these nutrition and exercise tips. More >

Mornings Made Easy

Reclaim the morning and your sanity with these easy recipes, tips, and timesaving ideas. More >

  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. Home Cooking
  4. Recipes
  5. Pasta Recipes
  6. Kasha Varnishkes Recipe - Kasha with Bowtie Pasta Recipe>

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.