Zatirka (milk soup)

What it is

Zatirka is one of the oldest dishes made from unleavened dough. Flour is rubbed by hand with water, often with an egg, until it forms small lumps the size of peas. They are thrown into boiling milk or water and cooked until they float, after which a piece of butter is added.

In Boyko villages, zatirka was rubbed in a wooden trough called a neczka. Boiled in water, it was served with the same broth or topped with steamed milk. A similar dish is styranka: the dough was rolled out thinly, cut into small pieces, and boiled in milk like noodles. Styranka, prepared with cheese instead of milk, was called lazanka.

Lemkos prepared a similar styranka: they pinched the dough with their fingers directly into boiling milk and added a pinch of salt, a bit of sugar, and butter. Sometimes, the liquid dough was dropped into the milk with a spoon — this resulted in 'dumplings thrown into milk.'

During fasting, zatirka was cooked in water and seasoned with oil and fried onions.

History and name

Zatirka is known throughout Ukraine, as well as in Poland (zacierka) and Belarus. Wikipedia lists styranka as a dialectal name for zatirka. In 2024, the 'Tradition of Preparing Zatirka in the Village of Kryva Luka' in Donetsk Oblast was included in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage (protection No. 090н.к.с., order of the Ministry of Culture dated 23.02.2024 No. 135); the submission emphasizes that zatirka is prepared across the country with regional variations.

Boyko zatirka and styranka are described in the book 'Boyko Cuisine' (Lviv, 2020), compiled from the memories of housewives from Drohobych and materials from local historian Petro Soviak; Lemko styranka is reviewed by Petro Lehoida in the magazine 'Ї' (2013).

Ingredients and allergens

Variant: in milk

Wheat flour150–250 gFor the dough of varenyky, palačinky, bobalyok, and pasky.Contains allergens: gluten

Milk1.5–2 lCow's milk for the dough of palachyntsi, machanka, and porridge.Contains allergens: milk

Butter1 tbsp., to serveButter is placed on slices of kulesha, used to grease riplianka, and to fry breadcrumbs for hombovtsi.Contains allergens: milk

Also: eggs (1 pcs., optional), water (50–100 ml, for rubbing), salt (a pinch), sugar (to taste, optional)

Contains allergens: gluten, milk
Depending on how it is served, may contain: eggs
Diet: vegetarian

Variant: styranka — finely cut dough in milk

wheat flour, eggs, water, milk, salt, butter

Contains allergens: gluten, milk, eggs
Diet: vegetarian

Variant: lenten, in water

wheat flour, water, salt, onion, sunflower oil

Contains allergens: gluten
Diet: lenten · vegan

Ingredients of the traditional recipe; every cook and every place may do it differently — please ask when ordering. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or traces.

How it is traditionally made

Serves: 4 servings · Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 10 min

• Wheat flour — 150–250 g
• Water — 50–100 ml, for rubbing
• Eggs — 1 pcs.
• Milk — 1.5–2 l
• Salt — a pinch
• Butter — 1 tbsp.
• Sugar — to taste

1. Pour the flour into a wide bowl, sprinkle with water (or water beaten with an egg) and rub with your palms until small lumps the size of peas form. Sift the remaining dry flour.
2. Bring the milk to a boil and lightly salt it.
3. Slowly add the zatirka to the boiling milk, stirring constantly to prevent the lumps from sticking together.
4. Cook on low heat for 5–10 minutes until the zatirka floats and becomes soft.
5. Add a piece of butter; to taste — a pinch of sugar.
6. For styranka, roll the egg dough thinly, cut it into small pieces, and boil in milk in the same way.

How it is served

Hot, in deep bowls, with a piece of butter. The lenten version, boiled in water, is seasoned with oil and fried onions.

Variants

Lemkos pinched the dough with their fingers directly into the milk (styranka) or dropped liquid dough with a spoon. In eastern Ukraine, zatirka is more often cooked as a soup in water or broth with potatoes and a roux.

The traditional method as described by our sources; every family does it its own way. We have not tested this recipe in a professional kitchen.

Where it is eaten

Boykivshchyna and Lemkivshchyna; zatirka is prepared throughout Ukraine, its range is not limited to the mountains.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Everyday food · Lent

In tradition

An everyday, quick dish made from what was always available at home: flour, water, and milk. During fasting, zatirka was cooked in water and seasoned with oil.

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