Dough dishes
boiled flour-dough pieces
living home tradition
Flour dough, egg, water, boiling, spirgai sauce, sour cream, skryliai shape
Lazankos, Dough skryliai
What are skryliai?
Skryliai are among the simplest dough dishes: no filling, only boiled sheets of dough.
Their flavor depends on the sauce, so spirgai, sour cream, or butter are often used. This is a dish where the dough itself is neutral, and fullness and character come from the topping.
Because of their simple composition, skryliai suit economical cooking: flour, water, sometimes egg, salt, and whatever seasoning is available. Such flour-based foods, including porridges, bread, and boiled dough sheets, dominated Lithuanian peasant cooking before potatoes spread widely in the nineteenth century, so skryliai belong to one of the oldest grain-and-flour food families.
Skryliai and virtiniai
Virtiniai have filling, while skryliai are cut dough without filling. That makes them quicker and more economical.
In some places skryliai are called lazankos, especially when the shape resembles wide noodles.
Shape and sauce
Diamonds, triangles, or irregular sheets are not only decoration. These shapes let the dough cook quickly and hold spirgai, butter, or sour cream sauce well.
If skryliai are served without a richer sauce, they can seem plain. In traditional serving, it matters not only to boil the dough but also to have enough hot topping.
Recipe
How to make skryliai
Skryliai dough is similar to simple pasta dough. It should be firm enough to roll thinly and cut.
Ingredients
- 400 g flour
- 1 egg
- 160-200 ml water
- A pinch of salt
- Spirgai, butter, or sour cream for serving
Method
- Knead a firm dough from flour, egg, water, and salt.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll thinly and cut into diamonds or triangles.
- Boil in salted water until they rise and soften.
- Serve with spirgai, sour cream, or butter.
Notes
Skryliai can be briefly dried before boiling if you want a firmer texture.
