Dough

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Add water and mix with wooden spoon. Then using your hands knead the dough until it all comes together and flour is thoroughly incorporated and smooth. (This step does not take long, it’s just a matter of combining all the ingredients together with your hands and forming a dough ball).
2. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Filling

1. Cook the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain and mash; set aside.
2. In a large skillet cook the bacon over medium heat. When it just starts to brown, add the chopped onion; continue cooking until the onion is slightly caramelized and bacon is fully cooked.
3. Add the onion and bacon mixture to the mashed potatoes, including the pan grease. Add the chopped dill and mix until all the ingredients are combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To Make the Vareniki

1. Divide the dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out first ball of dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Keep the other ball of dough covered. Cut out 3 inch circles using a drinking glass or round cookie cutter.
2. Spoon the potato filling into the center (about 1 tablespoon). Fold the circles into half-circles, and press to seal the edges. You can leave them as is or create a scalloped edge as seen in my recipe for Vareniki with Cherries. Proceed with the second dough ball.
3. Place the vareniki on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze overnight; transfer the frozen vareniki to a ziploc bag and store in the freezer up to 3 months.
4. To cook the vareniki: bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the vareniki and cook for about 5 minutes for frozen and about 3 minutes for fresh. They are done when they float to the top. Drain and serve with caramelized onions and sour cream.