Pierogis

Description:

The pierogi is a food originating in Eastern Europe, traditionally made with a potato filling, as well as a filling of ground meat, mushrooms or cabbage. Many immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe settled in the US in the early 1900’s, primarily in the Northeast and Midwest United States. To this day, cities in the US with large Polish and Ukrainian populations have the strongest pierogi-consuming culture in the country, and many innovative variations of pierogis have emerged from the traditional recipe that the original immigrants brought with them. The difference between pierogis in Eastern Europe vs the United States is minimal, although mass-produced American pierogis tend to be larger in size with thicker dough than those in the Old World. Additionally, it is common to include cheddar cheese in the filling for some types of American pierogis, and the recipe below will be for this variety.

Ingredients:

Makes 20-24)

Dough

• 3/4 cup flour (90 g)

• 2 tbsp melted butter (30 g)

• 1 egg

Filling

• 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

• 1/2 small onion, diced

• 2 tbsp sour cream (30 g)

• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (30 g)

• 1 tbsp melted butter (15 g)

• Salt

Preparation:

In a bowl, mix together the flour, melted butter and eggs to form the dough. Knead until a smooth dough forms, about 5-10 minutes. Cover and let rest. 

Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water until completely tender. Drain and mash in a bowl. In a pan, add the butter and onions and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Add onions to potato mixture. Mix in the sour cream & cheese and season to taste with salt.

After dough has rested at least 20 minutes, roll out on a cutting board until thin enough to see your hand through. Using a cookie cutter or a small glass, cut circles in the dough. You can re-roll the dough scraps into a new dough ball and wet with a little water to bring it together. 

To fill pierogis, dip a finger in a bowl of water and wet the edges of the circle. Scoop 1/2 a spoonful of the filling into the center of the circle, then fold in half and seal together. Place pierogi on cutting board and seal the edges, using your fingers to make small dimples. 

To serve pierogis, boil in water and optionally fry in butter to serve. You can eat these with a variety of toppings, including sour cream, fried onions, mushrooms, bacon, applesauce, dill, or scallions. 

Notes:

•  You can experiment with a variety of other fillings for this dish such as ground meat or cheese.