Pirohy (Pirogi)

Pirohy (also spelled pierogi or pirohi) are the dumpling cousins of Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian, and Russian home cooking. This is the traditional version: a simple flour, salt, egg, and water dough, rolled paper-thin, cut into squares, and folded around any of three classic fillings before a quick boil.

The dough is barely a dough at all. Just flour, salt, an egg, and a few tablespoons of cold water kneaded until smooth. The egg adds enough structure that the dumplings hold together in the boil without splitting; the cold water keeps the gluten relaxed so the dough rolls thin without springing back.

The three fillings each have their own personality. Dry cottage cheese with egg yolk, lemon rind, and sugar makes the panske pirohy, the sweet version traditionally topped with crushed walnuts. Mashed potato with dill and egg yolk is the savory standby that gets crowned with butter-fried onions. Salted, squeezed, and butter-browned cabbage is the third option, with a teaspoon of sugar to balance the savory edge.

Browned butter is the universal finish. Cooking butter past the foam stage until the milk solids turn nutty and golden, then pouring it over the boiled dumplings, is what transforms simple flour parcels into something celebratory.

Pro Tips

• Pinch the edges firmly with floured fingers and run a fork around the seal as a backup. Half-sealed pirohy split open in the boil and lose their filling.
• Drop only a few at a time into salted water. Crowding the pot drops the temperature and the dumplings stick together.
• They are done when they float and have cooked five more minutes. Pulling at the float means raw dough in the center.
• Toss the boiled dumplings in the browned butter immediately. Letting them sit naked makes them stick to each other in a sad, gummy clump.

Variations

• Use a half-and-half mix of mashed potato and farmer’s cheese for a richer, more decadent filling popular in Polish kitchens.
• Add a tablespoon of sour cream to the dough for a softer, more pliable texture.
• After boiling, pan-fry the pirohy in butter for a crisp golden exterior, the way they are often finished in restaurants.