Originating from the historical region of Red Ruthenia, these soft, crescent-shaped dumplings are filled with a combination of potatoes and cheese, which is occasionally modified with various seasonings or fried onions. Pierogi ruskie are usually boiled and shortly fried until they develop a crispy texture.

The dumplings are often served sprinkled with cracklings, crispy fried onions, or bacon, and can be enjoyed as a hearty appetizer or as a main course. In Ukraine, the pierogis are called varenyky, and they are so popular that there is even a monument celebrating varenyky in the city of Cherkasy. 

These traditional Russian pancakes are prepared with flour, eggs, milk, yeast, and a pinch of salt. What distinguishes them from other pancakes is the addition of yeast, since similar equivalents mostly do not add any leavening agents. The batter is poured over a hot pan, shaped into a circle, and fried for a couple of minutes on both sides.

The tradition of preparing this traditional Russian dish originates from ancient times: it was a ceremonial dish, served during the pagan holiday called Maslenitsa – a week-long festivity praising the end of winter and the celebration of spring. 

Badrijani is a heavily spiced Georgian dish consisting of eggplant slices that are coated with walnut paste, then shaped into small rolls. The eggplant slices are fried before serving, while the spread is prepared by combining ground walnuts, garlic, and fresh coriander.

When served, the assembled rolls are arranged on a plate and topped with pomegranate seeds.

Mushroom julienne is a Russian appetizer consisting of thinly sliced mushrooms, onions, cream, cheese, and sour cream. The dish is often flavored with white wine, nutmeg, and ground pepper. Although it is traditionally served as an appetizer in small ceramic or metal dishes, it can also be used as a topping for meat.

It is recommended to serve mushroom julienne with toasted breadsticks or sliced bread on the side.

Nadugi is a traditional appetizer or spread originating from Georgia. It's usually made with a combination of sour cream, sulguni or Imeretian cheese, mint, salt, and chili peppers. The mint, salt, and chili peppers are ground into a paste. It is simply mixed with cheese and sour cream, and nadugi is ready to be enjoyed.

The creamy mixture can be spread over bread or stuffed into cheese cones and served as an appetizer. If desired, garlic and carrots can also be added to the mixture.

Stroganina is the Russian version of sashimi. It is prepared with a whole fish that is frozen raw after which it is skinned and cut with a sharp knife into incredibly thin slices. The pieces naturally curl, and they should be served immediately after slicing.

Stroganina originates from the Russian Arctic, and it is traditionally prepared with whitefish such as omul, nelma, or muksun. The name of the dish stems from the word strogat, meaning to shave. Stroganina is traditionally paired with vodka and comes served on ice, usually accompanied by a combination of salt and pepper. 

A culinary delicacy coming from Artsakh, or the Nagorno-Karabakh region, zhingyalov khats is a traditional flatbread that contains a variety of herbs and greens. Often considered a lavash with herb filling, this flatbread typically consists of a thin unleavened dough that is topped with a mixture of thinly sliced herbs and greens, folded over, sealed, and then carefully rolled out again.

Zhingyalov khats is traditionally baked on a hot saj, a type of Armenian cast-iron vessel resembling a bulging tray. The filling is typically made with butter, salt, onions, and lots of herbs and greens, sometimes supposedly even up to 20 different kinds, such as spinach, leeks, scallions, nettle, chickweed, mint, parsley, tarragon, lettuce, chard, dill, or kale. 

Simple, yet delicious, soko kecze is a Georgian specialty that can be translated as mushrooms in a clay pot. The dish consists of mushrooms that are baked and served in a special ketsi dish (clay dish). The mushrooms can be either plain or filled with butter and Georgian sulguni cheese, seasoned with black pepper, and sometimes a bit of garlic.

This hearty mushroom dish is best enjoyed hot, while the cheese is still gooey and stretchy.

Kruchenyky (also known as zavyvantsi) is a traditional dish consisting of stuffed meat rolls. Pork is the most common type of meat used for kruchenyky, but beef, chicken, or even fish can be used instead of it. The stuffings vary from region to region, and some of the most common ingredients for the stuffing include mushrooms, carrots, onions, cheese, cabbage, and prunes.

These rolls are typically topped with sour cream and baked in the oven, then served hot as an appetizer, although kruchenyky can also be served cold.