Homemade Pierogi
There is a long-standing debate over whether pierogies are Polish or German in origin and, ultimately, we don’t know! What we DO know is that these delicious little dumplings date back to the 13th century in central and Eastern Europe. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe and they remain a large part of the food culture in that region. Dumplings most likely originated in Asia and came to Europe via trade in the Middle Ages. The widely used English name pierogi was derived from Polish. In East Europe and parts of Canada they are known as varenyky, or, in some dialects, pyrohy.
Pierogi (‘puh-row-gee’) can be savory or sweet. Typical fillings include potato, cheese, quark, sauerkraut, ground meat, mushrooms, fruits, and/or berries. Savory pierogi are often served with a topping of sour cream, fried onions, or both.
A Polish poster on Quora said: "Sweet or savory, can be filled with meat, cabbage and wild mushrooms, cottage cheese with potatoes, strawberries, bilberries, strawberries and curd cheese, spinach with feta, millet with prunes, lentils, fava beans, soybeans... or anything you like."
I’ve found recipes that use sour cream in the dough and some that do not. The recipe on the left below does not use sour cream, the one on the right does.
You can serve pierogi with onions fried in butter, sour cream, applesauce, fried and crumbled bacon, sautéed mushrooms, or sauerkraut.
Make-Ahead Dough: Once the dough is made, either wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month, or use within 2 hours.
How to Freeze Pierogi: The assembled pierogi can be frozen – place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer until completely frozen, about 2 hours. Transfer the pierogi to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. No need to thaw before cooking – they can be boiled straight from the freezer.
Homemade Pierogi
from https://www.spendwithpennies.com/
This Homemade Pierogi recipe comes from my Grandmother. A tender dough filled with a cheesy potato filling. Serve them hot with a dollop of sour cream for a savory side or main dish!
They are boiled in water until they float and then pan-fried with butter and onion until golden brown.
Dough
6 cups all purpose flour
2 cups cold water divided (1 1/2 cups, more if needed)
2 eggs beaten
6 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
Filling
3 3/4 pounds baking potatoes
1 medium white onion finely diced
⅓ cup softened butter divided
4 1/2 cups cheddar cheese finely shredded [sharp cheddar]
salt to taste
white pepper to taste, or very fine black pepper
For Serving
1 onion diced or thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter or as needed for frying
sour cream optional, for serving
Dough: In a large bowl add flour, eggs, oil, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix well to form a dough, adding more water if needed.
Knead the dough on a flat surface for about 4 to 5 minutes or until it becomes smooth and pliable. Don’t overwork the dough, knead it gently until it’s smooth and pliable. If you overwork the dough it will become tough and too elastic.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Filling: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch cubes. Place them in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
While the potatoes are cooking, in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, cook the onions in 2 tablespoons butter until tender without browning.
Once the potatoes are cooked, place them in a large bowl and mash them. Add onions, cheese, and remaining butter. Continue mashing until the potatoes become very smooth.
Assembly *see note: Using half of the dough, roll it out 1/8" thick. Cut out circles of dough using a 3" cookie or biscuit cutter.
*A second option for the dough is to pinch off a piece and roll it into a circle about 3" in diameter and 1/8" thick (I weigh all of my dough and divide it into 65 equal pieces).
Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling and roll into a ball, place on the pierogi dough. Fold the dough over to form a semi-circle and pinch the edges closed. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat.
The pierogi can either be cooked or frozen at this point.To Cook Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add diced onions and cook on medium-low heat until tender. Remove onions from the pan and set aside for serving. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently add pierogies and cook until they float, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Transfer pierogies to the hot skillet (adding more butter if needed) and cook until browned on each side, about 5 minutes. Serve warm with onions and sour cream.
65 pierogi
Homemade Pierogi
from https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/
There are as many versions of pierogi as there are cooks who love them, and our take on this traditional treat mirrors many American pierogi recipes.
Dough
2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
4 tablespoons (57g) butter, room temperature
Filling
1 cup (227g) mashed potatoes, warm
1 cup (113g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
To finish
4 tablespoons (57g) butter, cold
2 large (156g) shallots, diced; or one medium (156g) onion, sliced
To make the dough: Mix together the flour and salt. Add the egg to the flour and combine. The dough will be quite clumpy at this stage.
Work in the sour cream and soft butter until the dough comes together in a slightly rough, slightly sticky ball.
Using just your fingertips, knead and fold the dough without adding additional flour until the dough becomes less sticky but still quite moist.
Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, or up to 48 hours.
To make the filling: Combine the warm mashed potato and cheese. Stir and mash until the cheese is melted and the filling is cool to the touch. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
If your filling is a bit watery due to the potatoes, add a tablespoon of flour to help thicken it up.
To fill the pierogi: Roll half the dough 1/8" thick. Use a 2" round cutter to cut circles of dough. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Save the scraps; these can be snipped into small pieces and added to simmering soups.
Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling on each round of dough. Gently fold the dough over, forming a pocket around the filling. Pinch the edges of the pierogi to seal, then seal again with the tines of a fork.
At this point the pierogi can be frozen for up to 4 weeks, or refrigerated overnight, or cooked in a large stockpot of boiling salted water. Only cook about 10 pierogi at a time, so that they have room to float without sticking. When the pierogi float, they're done. The time will vary depending on if they're fresh or frozen.
To finish: Sauté the shallots or onion in the butter in a large skillet until the onion begins to brown. Add the drained pierogi and cook until browned and crisped. Serve hot with additional sour cream, applesauce, or other condiments.
about 3 1/2 dozen small pierogi
