Pierogies
I have always loved
pierogies, but never have made them. I
recently stumbled upon a blog while looking for a recipe for bread bowls…Thank
you Michelle @ http://honestandtruly.com/.
A recipe for pierogies caught
my eye and inspired me to make them. My
dear friend Lorraine shared her grandmother's recipe with me, and between the
two this is what I came up with. These
were so amazing, I will make them again in a heartbeat…even if it does require
a bit of time. Definitely worth the
effort.
Ingredients:
For the filling
5 med. Potatoes,
peeled & cubed
1/2 med. Onion,
minced
4 T butter
1 T olive oil
8 oz. can
sauerkraut, drained well
3/4 cup chicken
broth
8 oz. white cheddar,
grated
S & P
For the dough
2-3/4 cups flour,
sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 tsp. vegetable oil
3/4 C warm water
For the final preparation
1/2 onion, sliced
1/4 red bell pepper,
sliced
2 T butter
Directions:
Add cubed potatoes
to pot of cold water and bring to a boil.
Boil 8-10 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, heat
butter and oil in saute pan over med. Add onion and season with S & P. Cook
onion until beginning to get golden. Add
sauerkraut and stir well. Cook an additional
minute or so, then remove from the heat.
Drain potatoes and
return to hot pan. Rice or mash
potatoes. Add chicken broth and combine
until a thick mashed potatoes consistency.
Add the cheese in portions, stirring to combine until melted. Add the onion mixture and stir to
combine. Season with S & P.
Let filling cool
Stir flour and salt
together. Add egg, oil, and water. Stir in stand mixer until a dough forms. Kneed by hand on floured surface, or with
dough hook in mixer for a couple of minutes.
Don't over work the dough or it will be tough.
Wrap the dough in
plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of
water to a rapid boil.
Roll out dough on
lightly floured surface until about an 1/8" thick.
Cut dough into
circles using a biscuit cutter or glass - about 3" round.
Work the dough
circles in your fingers to flatten and stretch a bit.
Fill with about a
tablespoon of the filling and then fold over, pulling the dough out and
pinching it together, being careful not to get any filling in the closed
seam. Pinch all around. You can use a fork, or make little folds, or
braids as is traditional.
Place the filled
pierogies on a lightly floured baking sheet.
Add a bit of oil to
the water to prevent the pierogies sticking.
Add the pierogies to the boiling water in batches so that they are not
over-crowded. They will sink to the bottom. Give the pot a gentle stir to make sure they
do not stick to the bottom. When they
float to the top remove them with a slotted spoon or spider and set them on a
rack over a baking pan lined with wax paper in a single layer.
Melt the butter in a
large saute pan and cook the onion and bell pepper with a little S & P
until soft. Nestle the pierogies into
the pan, moving them so that they end up touching the pan. Cook a few minutes until they begin to take
on a bit of color then flip. Cook
another minute or so then remove from heat.
Serve garnished with
a sprinkle of paprika and a bit of minced parsley.
