My Favorite Pierogi

I make 3 kinds of pierogi. They all turn out wonderful.  I like the savory ones with potatoes and cheese for dinner.  The cheese, and blueberry ones are always dissapearing from plates at breakfast.  Growing up my Mother just couldn't get the dough right,  so we didn't get too eat any homemade ones.  We had to have the store bought ones, and they simply couldn't compare.

Since I now live in Poland, I  have the option of getting these at the store freshly made everyday (by the store), or pre packaged.  I still prefer the ones that I make at home. If I don't have a dinner planned, I will just whip these up really quickly. 

If you read online about making Pierogi you will only get discouraged, once I get started I can have dinner ready in about 45 min. (and I am slow at this.) After you eat Pierogi you make at home you will never buy the overly thick Mrs. T's again.

Things you will need to begin:

• a large wooden cutting board/ a smooth counter top (stolnica)
• rolling pin
• a circle cut-out (I use a metal measuring "1 cup" that lost its handle)
  
• a large pot for boiling water
• a skimmer
• a large frying pan (for savory)

Pierogi Dough

2 cups flour

1/2 c. hot water

1 egg

pinch of salt

optional a dash of oil I don't use this

Potato filling:

I don't measure any of this, so this is approximate. 

3 large potatoes

half of a small onion diced

1/2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup farmers cheese/yellow cheese/Cheddar (most common cheeses work)

I use a sort of dry cottage cheese (farmers cheese)

salt and pepper to taste

The mix will be sort of dry, but will not be that way when cooked.

Cook your potatoes as you normally would, peeled and cut. Mash. 

Cook your onions, until translucent in butter and add to your potatoes. Add salt pepper and cheese and mix together. Set aside.

I mix everything in the mixer with the dough hook, you can work the dough by hand on your board. You want the dough a little sticky, so it will stay together when you form them. Put the dough on your board and if you have a small area cut in into smaller workable amounts. Keep extra dough covered. I roll it out a little on the floured board and cover it with a dishtowel to rest a couple of minutes while I get my water boiling. After a couple of minutes it should be really easy to roll out "thin". Cut them out and make sure they are not touching each other. I use lightly floured cookie sheets until I have enough to fill.  I bought those pierogi maker cut-outs they sell at stores like Ross. It was a waste of money, they may cut them out, but they do not seal them properly.

To fill the pierogi, I brush off extra flour and hold the dough in my palm of my hand. Add a small spoon of the filling, use your thumb sort of press it down and close your hand up pinching the sides starting at the TOP middle and working down to the sides. Press together pinching closed make sure all your edges are sealed. I don't use any water to seal them since the dough is sticky, just make sure your hands are dry so they don't stick to your fingers while sealing them.  I keep them on my floured cookie sheets until they are ready to be cooked.  

Freezer instructions:

At this point you can freeze them or cook them. To freeze I lightly flour waxed paper and line the Pierogi up about 3-4 at the edge closest to you then roll it over, add more, roll it over and do this till you finish your piece of waxed paper and put it in a freezer bag.  It is really important to not have any pierogi touching or they will stick together. I lay the bag flat in the freezer. (frozen pierogi will cook in about 8 minutes. Add to boiling water cover, when they float uncover and cook 2 more minutes.

Fresh cooking instructions: 

Boil large pot of water with a little oil and salt. 

Add about 10 (depending on the size of the pot) to a pot of boiling water, cover, when they rise remove cover and cook 2 more minutes uncovered.  Remove with skimmer right into a frying pan with butter, onions and bacon to fry till golden.  Serve warm with sour cream.