Perogies
Submitted by the-voyager
Homemade perogies filled with cheddar, mashed potato, and sauteed onion. Boiled, then tossed with golden butter-fried onions and served with sour cream. Pure Eastern European comfort food.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsHomemade perogies (or pierogi, depending on which side of the family you ask) are one of those cooking projects that feels laborious until you are halfway through the second round. Then you settle into the rhythm and suddenly you have a tray of plump little dumplings ready for the freezer. This version sticks to the classic Ruthenian-Polish cheese-and-potato filling: buttery sauteed onion, mashed potato, and sharp shredded cheddar seasoned to taste.
The dough is straightforward, but two details matter. Rest it for a full 20 minutes after kneading (the gluten relaxes and makes rolling so much easier), and keep every portion you are not working with under a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Perogy dough dries out fast, and dry dough will not seal. Roll thin (1/16 inch), cut rounds, add a teaspoon of filling, moisten the edge, and crimp firmly. Boil in salted water until they bob to the top.
Pro Tips
- Riced potatoes make a smoother, fluffier filling than mashed with a fork or masher.
- Use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar for the biggest flavor punch. Mild cheese disappears in the filling.
- Do not overcrowd the pot. Boil in small batches so perogies can move freely and not stick.
- The real finishing touch: fry the drained perogies in butter with caramelized onions until the bottoms are lightly browned.
Variations
- Swap cheddar for farmer’s cheese or quark for a more traditional Eastern European flavor.
- Try a sauerkraut and mushroom filling for a savory Polish Christmas Eve version.
- Sweet perogies with prune or blueberry filling make a classic Ukrainian dessert.
Ingredients
Directions
In bowl, combine flour with salt.
Beat together egg, water and oil; stir into flour mixture to make soft but not sticky dough that holds together in a ball.
If necessary, add 1 tablespoon more water at a time, being careful not to make dough sticky.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; knead about 10 times or until smooth.
Halve dough, cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth.
Let rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile in skillet, heat butter over medium heat, cook onion for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.
Transfer to a bowl, add mix in potatoes, cheese, salt and pepper.
Working with one portion of the dough at a time, and keeping the remaining dough covered, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/16 inch thickness.
Using 3 inch round cutter, cut dough into rounds.
Place 1 teaspoon filling on each round.
Lightly moisten edge of one half of dough with water, pinch edges together to seal and crimp attractively.
Place on cloth; cover with damp cloth to prevent drying out.
Repeat with remaining portion of dough.
In large pot of boiling salted water, cook perogies in batches, for 1½ hr to 2 minutes or until they float to top, stirring gently to prevent perogies from sticking together or to bottom of pan.
With slotted spoon remove to colander to drain.
In large heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat, cook onion for about 5 minutes until golden.
Add perogies and toss to coat and warm through.
Serve with sour cream.
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