Pierogi Tutorial, Revisiting a family favorite

Pierogi are Polish Potato dumplings, a non yeasted dough is filled with a potato based filling and formed into a semi-circular shape. Most often they are simply boiled and served with sour cream, however man meat LOVES them crisped up a bit in butter.  I really can't relay how much I love pierogi. For me its absolutely a family favorite. I ate them as a kid, and now as an adult its one of those foods that still set me back to another time. Although I've improved upon the  boxed ones I had as a kid, there's really no going wrong with starch on starch dumplings. As I mentioned in my Pocono Pierogi post (goat cheese pierogi) they are very popular here in the Poconos and all over Pennsylvania. Although no one in my family is polish these are a Pennsylvania Dutch staple. They are found hand crafted in deli's or at markets where the Amish sell goods. You can aim for artisanal foods but there is nothing like hand crafted food that you made yourself.


 

These are one of the first foods I shared with my husband. As a young couple we were learning all about one another and for me I've always related to food first. When I found out that Stephen had not eaten pierogi I was in absolute shock! I eventually learned that our food cultures were pretty different. I grew up on primarily German and PA dutch food, he'd eaten...well honestly I don't know what he ate besides frito chili pie and cabbage rolls. I've tried pulling it out of him but normally I'm either annoyed by the lack of detail or bored with the absence of  variety. Not that it wasn't adequate but I relate to food as if it were my first love, he relays to meals as if they were relief to an itch that needed scratching. My family was by no means a foodie family but I was a fat blessed child. (I can tell you where to get fried clams to doughnuts at places I haven't eaten at since I was 8) In short not much has changed. My children and family are not taken for granted however my mind still relates everything to food in some way... and yeah, I'm still "blessed".

I really wanted to revisit pierogi since I feel that my last post was, well this joints a work in progress and I'm still learning a lot of things. I want to improve upon foods I cook quite often, or more importantly learn how to make them a bit more efficiently. I don't think my last post did these beauties justice, so I'm going at it again. I've found that I often take for granted the family meal and I  always get caught up in making new things. I set aside my stacks of magazine clippings for a moment and focused on food that makes them go YAY! Pierogi are something I make a few times a year and I'm getting a bit better each time I make them. From scratch cooking makes these something un-paralleled by anything you can get anywhere else. Unless you just happen to live near the Amish or a polish deli, there is nothing you can get as good as these.

Homemade Pierogi Recipe

I use a butter and sour cream dough with a cheese and potato filling, I'm not sure if Polish gramma's do it this way but I've found that the butter makes the dough easier to handle. (and the sour cream gives it a delightful tang) I use the dough for approximately 2 dozen of pierogi and whatever is left over I make casseroles and desserts with. You've made the dough, why waste it? Use it as a noodle or a pie crust its very versatile.

Fillings: You can fill pierogi with fig or cherry jam, applesauce or a variety of things sweet or savory. You can add meat such as bacon or sausage, you can add mushrooms or hot peppers. Its all up to you. Our favorite filling is somewhat traditional, I most frequently do potatoes with cheese (goat cheese or cheddar) or every now and then potatoes with sauerkraut and bacon.

Dough:
2 cups all purpose flour (unbleached)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream

Cheddar Filling:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes peeled and boiled until soft
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1 1/2- 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar or any other cheese

To prepare the dough:

In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Mix together melted butter, egg and sour cream. Create a small well in the middle of the flour and stir the butter mixture into it using your fingers or a spoon. Either in the bowl or on a work surface knead the dough until its smooth and thoroughly combined. (about 5-7 minutes). The butter in this dough makes it somewhat sticky but it will smooth out once kneaded. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.

To prepare the filling:

Combine the cooked potatoes, sour cream salt and pepper. Using a potato masher or fork smash the filling thoroughly. Allow to cool fully before adding cheese, if you are using sausage or bacon you will use it fully cooked and cooled as well. 

Refrigerate filling until cooled or over night. Do not attempt to assemble pierogi with hot filling. I prefer making my dough and my filling a day in advance.

To Assemble:

• Roll out pierogi dough to approximately 1/8". 
• Cut into circles using a drinking glass or a biscuit cutter. I've come to realize that mason jar lids make ideal cutters. They are always at arms length and they are the perfect size. (You can re-roll dough as needed however you will need to moisten it and knead it back togethter, and allow it to rest until its pliable again. ) I use a heavy rolling pin to roll the dough once in each direction to flatten it out further. This way I can fit exactly 1 scoop of filling in it.

• Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop place about 1-2 tablespoons of filling into each round. I use a standard cookie scoop.

• Wet your finger and trace around half of the circle to moisten the dough.

• Fold the circle over the dough (if your filling is somewhat sticky or wet dip your finger in flour and pat it down into a football shape.) 
• Crimp together with your hands and then gently use a fork or your finger to crease the edges. I stick the edges together and place them on the counter. Using my pointer finger I press around the edges evenly distributing any air, pushing the excess air out of the dough and crimping the edge. If you have a pierogi press you could use that. Set each one aside on a floured cookie sheet.

To Freeze:

Freeze individually on a cookie sheet. Once frozen place them in a zip tight baggy. If you don't freeze them individually they will freeze together into a glob...not that I know from experience or anything.

Preparation: (boiling)
-Many people do not saute' or fry the pierogi. In my house the preferred preparation is boiled and crisped in butter.

Place pierogi into rapidly boiling water, cook for approximately 3 minutes. Once they are floating they are cooked. You need to pre-boil them before any other preparation.

Saute:

Place boiled pierogi into a pan heated over medium high heat with 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Cook on both sides approximately 2-3 minutes.

Not feeling like rolling out MORE pierogi? Use Up the Rest of the Pierogi Dough with some of these recipes. 

Harvest Moons (Apple Pocket Pies)
Pierogi Casserole