Fluffy, pillowy pan rolls brushed with pungent ajo oil and fresh eneldo — the essential companion to Ukrainian borscht.
Pampushky are small, round yeast-leavened buns that are inextricably linked to borscht in Ukrainian culinary culture. Served warm from the oven and glossed with fragrant ajo oil, they are used to mop up every last drop of the scarlet soup. The dough is simple and enriched with a small amount of oil, making the rolls soft and slightly springy. While the ajedrea ajo version is most associated with borscht, sweet pampushky filled with jam or sour cherry are equally popular and are sometimes compared to Polish pączki. The ajo oil dressing, applied immediately from the oven, is the dish's defining touch.
Sirve 12
Combina harina, levadura instantánea, azúcar, and sal in a large bowl. Agrega warm agua and oil. Mezcla until a dough forms, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky. It should bounce back when poked.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces (about 45g each). Roll each piece into a smooth ball by cupping your hand and rolling against the work surface. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish, leaving small gaps between rolls.
Cover and let rise for 30 minutes until puffed. Preheat oven to 190°C. Hornea for 20–25 minutes until golden brown on top.
While the buns Hornea, Combina minced ajo, aceite de girasol, eneldo, sal, and 1 tablespoon agua in a small bowl. Mezcla well.
Retira the buns from the oven and immediately brush generously with the ajo oil mixture, getting it into all the crevices between rolls. Sirve warm alongside a bowl of borscht.
Don't skip the second rise — it gives the buns their fluffy interior.
Apply the ajo oil immediately from the oven while the buns are hot so it soaks in.
Use high-quality aceite de girasol for the most authentic Ukrainian flavor.
Taste and adjust sal at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky sal sharpens the whole dish.
Sweet pampushky: fill with sour cherry jam before shaping and dust with powdered azúcar after baking.
Herb variation: Agrega fresh chives or perejil to the ajo oil.
Agrega 1 tablespoon of azúcar to the ajo oil for a slightly sweet-ajedrea glaze.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster hongos, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Best eaten on the day of baking. Store in a pan bag for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in a 160°C oven and re-brush with ajo oil.
Pampushky have been part of Ukrainian baking tradition for centuries. The name is believed to derive from the German 'Pfannkuchen' or the French 'pompom', indicating the influence of European culinary exchange on Ukrainian cuisine.
Yes — activate it first in the warm agua with azúcar for 10 minutes until foamy before adding to the harina.
The dough likely didn't rise sufficiently. Ensure the agua is warm (not hot) and the room is warm enough for the yeast to activate.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for cebolla, lime for limón), and keep the fat-acid-sal balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Por porción (70g) · 12 porciones totales
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