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1. In a heavy 6- to 8-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the onions and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft and translucent but not brown.
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2. Stir in the bread crumbs and, when they glisten with butter, remove the pan from the heat and mix in the mushrooms.Then put the mixture twice through the finest blade of a food grinder.
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3. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the ground mushroom mixture and, stirring from time to time, cook over low heat until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated.
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2. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the egg white and 1 teasppon of salt into the mushroom stuffing. Taste for seasoning and cool to room temperature.
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4. Meanwhile, prepare the dough in the following fashion: In a deepbowl, beat the egg, egg white, water and ¼ teaspoon of the salt togetherwith a spoon until they are smooth.
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2. Beating constantly, sift in the flourfew tablespoons at a time. Continue to beat, or knead with your hands,until the dough can be gathered into a compact ball.
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5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a paper-thin rectangleabout 15 inches long and 9 inches wide. Turn the dough at right anglesafter each rolling and sprinkle flour over and under it to prevent it fromsticking to the board.
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2. Then with a pastry wheel or sharp knife cut thedough into sixty 1½-inch squares. Cover them with a dampened kitchen towel to keep them moist while you fill and shape the dumplings.
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6. To make each uszka, place about ¼ teaspoon of the mushroom fillingin the center of a square of dough. With a finger dipped inwater, moisten the edges.
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2. Fold the square in half diagonally to createa triangle and press the edges securely together. Then lift up the twopoints of the base and pinch them together. As the dumplings are shaped, cover them with a dampened towel and set aside.
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7. In a heavy 3- to 4-quart casserole, bring 2 quarts of water and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil over high heat. Stirring gently with a wooden spoon, drop in the dumplings, a large handful at a time.
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6. Reduce the heat to low and simmer each batch for 5 minutes, or until the dumplings are tender to the bite. With a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl and drape foil over them to keep them warm.
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8. As soon as all of the dumplings are cooked, arrange them in individual soup plates and ladle a hot clear soup such as barszcz Wigilijny over them.
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6. Although the Poles often serve as many as 12 uszkaper bowl, you may prefer to serve somewhat fewer and reserve the rest (covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated) for future use. They will keep in this fashion for up to a week. Or you may freeze some of the uncooked dumplings; in that case, defrost them thoroughly before cooking.
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